HB 275

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to motor vehicle insurance for foster
3	children; creating a pilot program to reimburse foster
4	parents, residential facilities, or foster children who
5	live independently a portion of the increased costs of
6	motor vehicle insurance for a foster child who has a
7	driver's license; directing the Department of Children and
8	Family Services to establish the pilot program in
9	Sarasota, DeSoto, Manatee, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties;
10	requiring that the person who incurs the increased cost
11	submit to the department documentation of that increase;
12	requiring that foster children be encouraged to pay the
13	remaining portion of the increase in cost; directing the
14	department to develop procedures for operating the pilot
15	program; requiring the department to submit a report with
16	recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by a
17	specified date each year of the pilot program; providing
18	an appropriation; providing for apportionment of the
19	appropriation; providing an effective date.
20
21	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23	Section 1.  (1)  The Legislature finds that the increased
24	cost of motor vehicle insurance for a foster child after that
25	child obtains a driver's license is borne by the foster parents,
26	the authorized representative of the residential facility, or
27	the foster child if living independently. This increase in the
28	cost of insurance creates an additional barrier for a foster
29	child in gaining independence and may limit the child's
30	opportunities for obtaining employment. In accordance with these
31	findings, the Department of Children and Family Services shall
32	establish a 3-year pilot program in Sarasota, Desoto, Manatee,
33	Pinellas, and Pasco Counties to pay a portion of the cost of
34	motor vehicle insurance for foster children who have obtained a
35	driver's license.
36	(2)  To the extent that funding is available, the pilot
37	program shall provide funds to pay for a portion of the increase
38	in the cost of motor vehicle insurance incurred by foster
39	parents, residential facilities, and foster children living
40	independently. To be eligible for payment under the pilot
41	program, the person incurring the cost must submit to the
42	department appropriate documentation demonstrating the increase
43	in the cost of insurance. The amount of the payment provided to
44	the foster parent, residential facility, or foster child living
45	independently shall be one-half of the amount of the increase in
46	the cost of motor vehicle insurance which is incurred as a
47	result of adding the foster child to the policy or less than
48	one-half if another source of funding is available to pay for
49	the increase. The foster child must be encouraged to pay the
50	other half of the increase in insurance costs.
51	(3)  The department shall develop procedures for operating
52	the pilot program, including, but not limited to, determining
53	eligibility, providing the payment, ensuring that payment is
54	limited solely to the additional cost of including the foster
55	child in the insurance policy, and ensuring that the payments
56	are made to eligible persons in the order each person is
57	determined eligible until the funds are exhausted.
58	(4)  The department shall examine and use, to the extent
59	possible, other available options for funding the cost of the
60	motor vehicle insurance increase, such as, but not limited to,
61	through the child's master trust fund, social security income,
62	child support payments, and other income available to the child.
63	(5)  Beginning January 1, 2007, and continuing for the
64	duration of the pilot program, the department shall submit to
65	the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
66	the House of Representatives an annual report on the success and
67	outcomes achieved by the pilot program, with a recommendation as
68	to whether the pilot program should be continued, terminated, or
69	expanded.
70	Section 2.  The sum of $150,000 is appropriated from the
71	General Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Family
72	Services for the purpose of implementing this act during the
73	2006-2007 fiscal year. This sum shall be apportioned as follows:
74	$110,000 to be divided between Pinellas and Pasco Counties and
75	$40,000 to be divided among Manatee, Sarasota, and Desoto
76	Counties.
77	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.