Senate Bill sb0236c1

    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 236

    By the Committee on Health and Human Services Appropriations;
    and Senators Bennett, Fasano and Lynn




    603-2444-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to motor vehicle insurance for

  3         foster children; creating a pilot program for

  4         the purpose of reimbursing foster parents,

  5         residential facilities, or foster children who

  6         live independently for a portion of the

  7         increased costs of motor vehicle insurance for

  8         a foster child who has a driver's license;

  9         directing the Department of Children and Family

10         Services to establish a pilot program in

11         Sarasota, DeSoto, Manatee, Pinellas, Pasco, and

12         Hillsborough Counties; requiring that the

13         person who incurs the increased cost submit to

14         the department documentation of that increase;

15         requiring that foster children be encouraged to

16         pay the remaining portion of the increase in

17         costs; directing the department to develop

18         procedures for operating the pilot program;

19         requiring the department to submit a report

20         with recommendations to the Governor and the

21         Legislature by a specified date; providing an

22         effective date.

23  

24  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

25  

26         Section 1.  (1)  The Legislature finds that the

27  increased cost of motor vehicle insurance for a foster child

28  after that child attains a driver's license is borne by the

29  foster parents, the authorized representative of the

30  residential facility, or the foster child if living

31  independently. This increase in the cost of insurance creates

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






    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 236
    603-2444-07




 1  an additional barrier for a foster child in gaining

 2  independence and may limit the child's opportunities for

 3  obtaining employment. In accordance with these findings, the

 4  Department of Children and Family Services shall establish a

 5  1-year pilot program in Sarasota, DeSoto, Manatee, Pinellas,

 6  Pasco, and Hillsborough Counties to pay a portion of the cost

 7  of motor vehicle insurance for foster children who have

 8  obtained a driver's license.

 9         (2)  To the extent that funding is available, the pilot

10  program shall provide funds to pay for a portion of the

11  increase in the cost of motor vehicle insurance incurred by

12  the foster parents, residential facilities, or the foster

13  child if living independently. To be eligible for payment

14  under the pilot program, the person incurring the cost must

15  submit to the department appropriate documentation

16  demonstrating the increase in the cost of insurance. The

17  amount of the payment provided to the foster parent,

18  residential facility, or foster child if living independently

19  shall be one-half of the amount of the increase in the cost of

20  motor vehicle insurance which is incurred as a result of

21  adding the foster child to the policy or less than one-half if

22  another source of funding is available to pay for the

23  increase. The foster child must be encouraged to pay the other

24  half of the increase in insurance costs.

25         (3)  The department shall develop procedures for

26  operating the pilot program, including, but not limited to,

27  determining eligibility, providing the payment, ensuring that

28  payment is limited solely to the additional costs of including

29  the foster child in the insurance policy, and allocating

30  available funds.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 236
    603-2444-07




 1         (4)  The department shall examine and use, to the

 2  extent possible, other available options for funding the cost

 3  of the motor vehicle insurance increase, such as, but not

 4  limited to, through the child's master trust fund, social

 5  security income, child support payments, and other income

 6  available to the child.

 7         (5)  On or before January 1, 2008, the department shall

 8  submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the

 9  Speaker of the House of Representatives an annual report on

10  the success and outcomes achieved by the pilot program, with a

11  recommendation as to whether the pilot program should be

12  continued, expanded, or terminated.

13         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

14  

15          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
16                         Senate Bill 236

17                                 

18  The committee substitute makes the following changes to the
    bill:
19  

20       o    Modifies the duration of the pilot program from
              three years to one year.
21  
         o    Amends the reporting requirement from annual reports
22            to one single report.

23       o    Removes the appropriation and language mandating the
              community based care provider in the pilot area to
24            fund pilot costs that are in excess of the
              appropriation.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.