Senate Bill sb0386

    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 386

    By Senator Wilson





    33-32-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to motor vehicle insurance for

  3         foster children; creating a pilot program to

  4         reimburse foster parents, residential

  5         facilities, or foster children who live

  6         independently for a portion of the increased

  7         costs of motor vehicle insurance for a foster

  8         child who has a driver's license; directing the

  9         Department of Children and Family Services to

10         establish the pilot program in Miami-Dade

11         County; providing that the person who incurs

12         the increased cost must submit to the

13         department documentation of that increase;

14         requiring that foster children be encouraged to

15         pay the remaining portion of the increase in

16         costs; directing the department to develop

17         procedures for operating the pilot program;

18         requiring the department to submit a report

19         with recommendations to the Governor and the

20         Legislature by a specified date; providing an

21         effective date.

22  

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

24  

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

26  increased cost of motor vehicle insurance for a foster child

27  after that child obtains a driver's license is borne by the

28  foster parents or the authorized representative of the

29  residential facility. The increased cost of insurance creates

30  an additional barrier for a foster child in gaining

31  

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






    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 386
    33-32-07




 1  independence and may limit the child's opportunities for

 2  obtaining employment.

 3         (2)  The Department of Children and Family Services

 4  shall establish a 3-year pilot program in Miami-Dade County to

 5  pay a portion of the cost of motor vehicle insurance for

 6  foster children who have obtained a driver's license. To the

 7  extent that funding is available, the pilot program shall

 8  provide funds to pay a portion of the increase in the cost of

 9  such insurance. To be eligible for payment under the program,

10  the person incurring the cost must submit to the department

11  appropriate documentation demonstrating the increase in the

12  cost of insurance. The amount of the payment provided to the

13  foster parent, residential facility, or foster child if living

14  independently shall be one-half of the amount of the increase

15  in the cost of motor vehicle insurance which is incurred by

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

17  another source of funding is available to pay for the

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

19  half of the increase in insurance costs.

20         (3)  The department shall develop operating procedures

21  for the pilot program, including, but not limited to,

22  determining eligibility, providing the payment, ensuring that

23  payment is limited solely to the additional costs of including

24  the foster child in the insurance coverage, and allocating

25  available funds.

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

27  extent possible, other available options for funding the

28  increase in the cost of motor vehicle insurance, such as, but

29  not limited to, the child's master trust fund, social security

30  income, child support payments, and other income available to

31  the child.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 386
    33-32-07




 1         (5)  Beginning January 1, 2008, and continuing for the

 2  duration of the pilot program, the department shall submit to

 3  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of

 4  the House of Representatives an annual report on the results

 5  and outcomes achieved by the pilot program, with a

 6  recommendation as to whether the program should be continued,

 7  terminated, or expanded.

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

 9  

10            *****************************************

11                          SENATE SUMMARY

12    Creates a pilot program to reimburse foster parents,
      residential facilities, or foster children who live
13    independently for a portion of the increased costs of
      motor vehicle insurance for a foster child who has a
14    driver's license. Directs the Department of Children and
      Family Services to establish the pilot program in
15    Miami-Dade County. Requires a person who incurs the
      increased cost to submit documentation of the increase.
16    Requires that foster children be encouraged to pay the
      remaining portion of the increased costs. Directs the
17    department to develop procedures to operate the pilot
      program. Directs the department to submit a report with
18    recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by a
      specified date.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.