Senate Bill sb2032
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2032
By Senator Margolis
35-1445-07
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to immigrant survivors of human
3 trafficking and other serious crimes; requiring
4 the Department of Children and Family Services
5 to provide services to immigrant survivors of
6 human trafficking, domestic violence, and other
7 serious crimes to the extent funds are
8 available; providing for the same state and
9 local benefits that refugees receive; ensuring
10 that immigrant survivors of serious crimes have
11 access to state-funded services for refugees;
12 providing survivors of serious crimes with
13 supportive services; creating a state-funded
14 component of the cash, medical, and social
15 services programs for refugees to serve victims
16 during a temporary waiting period; providing
17 that a sworn statement by a victim is
18 sufficient evidence for the purposes of
19 determining eligibility for services if
20 supported by at least one piece of additional
21 evidence; providing for a public-awareness
22 program for employers and other organizations
23 that may come into contact with immigrant
24 survivors of human trafficking; providing an
25 effective date.
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27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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29 Section 1. Subject to the availability of funds, the
30 Department of Children and Family Services shall establish a
31 structure by which the department shall:
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2032
35-1445-07
1 (1) Provide services to immigrant survivors of human
2 trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes,
3 during the interim period between the time the survivor
4 applies for a visa and receives such visa from the United
5 States Department of Homeland Security or receives
6 certification from the United States Department of Health and
7 Human Services;
8 (2) Ensure that immigrant survivors of serious crimes
9 are eligible to receive existing state and local benefits and
10 services to the same extent that refugees receive those
11 benefits and services;
12 (3) Ensure that immigrant survivors of serious crimes
13 have access to state-funded services that are equivalent to
14 the federal programs that provide cash, medical services, and
15 social service for refugees;
16 (4) Provide survivors of serious crimes with medical
17 care, mental health care, and basic assistance in order to
18 help them secure housing, food, and supportive services;
19 (5) Create a state-funded component of the cash,
20 medical, and social services programs for refugees for the
21 purpose of serving immigrant survivors during the temporary
22 period while they wait for federal processing to be completed;
23 (6) Provide that a sworn statement by a survivor is
24 sufficient evidence for the purposes of determining
25 eligibility if that statement is supported by at least one
26 item of additional evidence, including, but not limited to:
27 (a) Police and court records;
28 (b) News articles;
29 (c) Documentation from a professional agency;
30 (d) Physical evidence; or
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2032
35-1445-07
1 (e) A statement from an individual having knowledge of
2 the circumstances providing the basis for the claim;
3 (7) Develop a public-awareness program for employers
4 and other organizations that may come into contact with
5 immigrant survivors of human trafficking in order to provide
6 education and raise awareness of the problem.
7 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.
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10 SENATE SUMMARY
11 Requires that the Department of Children and Family
Services provide services to immigrant survivors of human
12 trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes.
Provides for the same state and local benefits that
13 refugees receive. Provides for immigrant survivors of
serious crimes to have access to state-funded services
14 for refugees. Provides survivors of serious crimes with
supportive services. Creates a state-funded component of
15 the refugee cash, medical, and social services programs
to serve victims during a temporary waiting period.
16 Provides that a sworn statement by a victim is sufficient
evidence for the purposes of determining eligibility for
17 services if supported by at least one piece of additional
evidence. Provides for a public-awareness program for
18 employers and other organizations that may come into
contact with immigrant survivors of human trafficking.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.