HB 745

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 DeSoto,
9	Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota
10	Counties; requiring that the person who incurs the
11	increased cost submit to the department documentation of
12	that increase; requiring that foster children be
13	encouraged to pay the remaining portion of the increase in
14	cost; directing the department to develop procedures for
15	operating the pilot program; requiring the department to
16	submit a report with recommendations to the Governor and
17	the Legislature by a specified date each year of the pilot
18	program; providing an appropriation; providing for
19	apportionment of the appropriation; providing an effective
20	date.
21
22	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
23
24	Section 1.  (1)  The Legislature finds that the increased
25	cost of motor vehicle insurance for a foster child after that
26	child obtains a driver's license is borne by the foster parents,
27	the authorized representative of the residential facility, or
28	the foster child if living independently. This increase in the
29	cost of insurance creates an additional barrier for a foster
30	child in gaining independence and may limit the child's
31	opportunities for obtaining employment. In accordance with these
32	findings, the Department of Children and Family Services shall
33	establish a 3-year pilot program in Desoto, Hillsborough,
34	Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties to pay a portion
35	of the cost of motor vehicle insurance for foster children who
36	have obtained a driver's license.
37	(2)  To the extent that funding is available, the pilot
38	program shall provide funds to pay for a portion of the increase
39	in the cost of motor vehicle insurance incurred by foster
40	parents, residential facilities, and foster children living
41	independently. To be eligible for payment under the pilot
42	program, the person incurring the cost must submit to the
43	department appropriate documentation demonstrating the increase
44	in the cost of insurance. The amount of the payment provided to
45	the foster parent, residential facility, or foster child living
46	independently shall be one-half of the amount of the increase in
47	the cost of motor vehicle insurance which is incurred as a
48	result of adding the foster child to the policy or less than
49	one-half if another source of funding is available to pay for
50	the increase. The foster child must be encouraged to pay the
51	other half of the increase in insurance costs.
52	(3)  The department shall develop procedures for operating
53	the pilot program, including, but not limited to, determining
54	eligibility, providing the payment, ensuring that payment is
55	limited solely to the additional cost of including the foster
56	child in the insurance policy, and ensuring that the payments
57	are made to eligible persons in the order each person is
58	determined eligible until the funds are exhausted.
59	(4)  The department shall examine and use, to the extent
60	possible, other available options for funding the cost of the
61	motor vehicle insurance increase, such as, but not limited to,
62	through the child's master trust fund, social security income,
63	child support payments, and other income available to the child.
64	(5)  Beginning January 1, 2008, and continuing for the
65	duration of the pilot program, the department shall submit to
66	the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
67	the House of Representatives an annual report on the success and
68	outcomes achieved by the pilot program, with a recommendation as
69	to whether the pilot program should be continued, terminated, or
70	expanded.
71	Section 2.  The sum of $150,000 is appropriated from the
72	General Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Family
73	Services for the purpose of implementing this act during the
74	2007-2008 fiscal year. This sum shall be apportioned as follows:
75	$110,000 to be divided between Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas
76	Counties and $40,000 to be divided among Desoto, Manatee, and
77	Sarasota Counties.
78	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

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