CS/HB 1193

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to maternal and child health programs;
3	amending s. 383.011, F.S.; requiring the Department of
4	Health, in administering the Special Supplemental
5	Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC),
6	to compare the costs of food items redeemed by certain
7	vendors for purposes of meeting certain federal
8	requirements; requiring vendors to record prices on the
9	WIC voucher; prohibiting the department from discontinuing
10	certain generic products under certain circumstances;
11	restricting the funding of the program to federal funds;
12	providing for submission of budget amendments by the
13	department; amending s. 409.942, F.S.; requiring the
14	department to establish an electronic benefit transfer
15	program to distribute WIC benefits; requiring the
16	department to collaborate with the Department of Children
17	and Family Services in developing the program and pay all
18	costs associated therewith; providing an effective date.
19
20	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22	Section 1.  Subsection (3) is added to section 383.011,
23	Florida Statutes, to read:
24	383.011  Administration of maternal and child health
25	programs.--
26	(3)  In administering the WIC program, the Department of
27	Health:
28	(a)  For purposes of meeting the federal cost neutrality
29	requirement of 7 C.F.R. part 246, shall compare the average cost
30	of each food item redeemed by above-50-percent vendors against
31	the average cost of the same food item redeemed by regular
32	vendors. The department shall collect individual food item
33	redemption costs by requiring authorized vendors to record the
34	price of each redeemed item on the WIC voucher.
35	(b)  May not discontinue a WIC-eligible generic product
36	unless the product no longer meets the nutritional guidelines of
37	the WIC program.
38	(c)  Shall only expend funds provided by the Federal
39	Government for the administration of the program. In the event
40	the department exceeds the federal funding allocation, the
41	department may submit a budget amendment to the Executive Office
42	of the Governor requesting additional trust fund authority to
43	implement the program pursuant to s. 216.181(11).
44	Section 2.  Section 409.942, Florida Statutes, is amended
45	to read:
46	409.942  Electronic benefit transfer program.--
47	(1)  The Department of Children and Family Services shall
48	establish an electronic benefit transfer program for the
49	dissemination of food stamp benefits and temporary assistance
50	payments, including refugee cash assistance payments, asylum
51	applicant payments, and child support disregard payments. If the
52	Federal Government does not enact legislation or regulations
53	providing for dissemination of supplemental security income by
54	electronic benefit transfer, the state may include supplemental
55	security income in the electronic benefit transfer program.
56	(a)(2)  The department shall, in accordance with applicable
57	federal laws and regulations, develop minimum program
58	requirements and other policy initiatives for the electronic
59	benefit transfer program.
60	(b)(3)  The department shall enter into public-private
61	contracts for all provisions of electronic transfer of public
62	assistance benefits.
63	(2)(4)  Workforce Florida, Inc., through the Agency for
64	Workforce Innovation, shall establish an electronic benefit
65	transfer program for the use and management of education,
66	training, child care, transportation, and other program benefits
67	under its direction. The workforce electronic benefit transfer
68	program shall fulfill all federal and state requirements for
69	Individual Training Accounts, Retention Incentive Training
70	Accounts, Individual Development Accounts, and Individual
71	Services Accounts. The workforce electronic benefit transfer
72	program shall be designed to enable an individual who receives
73	an electronic benefit transfer card under subsection (1) to use
74	that card for purposes of benefits provided under the workforce
75	development system as well. The Department of Children and
76	Family Services shall assist Workforce Florida, Inc., in
77	developing an electronic benefit transfer program for the
78	workforce development system that is fully compatible with the
79	department's electronic benefit transfer program. The agency
80	shall reimburse the department for all costs incurred in
81	providing such assistance and shall pay all costs for the
82	development of the workforce electronic benefit transfer
83	program.
84	(3)  By July 1, 2010, the Department of Health shall
85	establish a statewide electronic benefit transfer program for
86	the distribution of benefits under the "Special Supplemental
87	Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children," or WIC,
88	authorized by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended.
89	(a)  The WIC electronic benefit transfer program shall be
90	designed to enable an individual who receives an electronic
91	benefit transfer card under subsection (1) or subsection (2) to
92	use that card for purposes of benefits provided under the WIC
93	program.
94	(b)  The Department of Children and Family Services shall
95	assist the Department of Health in developing an electronic
96	benefit transfer program for the WIC program that is fully
97	compatible with the electronic benefit transfer programs
98	operated by the Department of Children and Family Services and
99	Workforce Florida, Inc. The Department of Health shall reimburse
100	the Department of Children and Family Services for all costs
101	incurred in providing such assistance and shall pay all costs
102	for the development of the WIC electronic benefit transfer
103	program.
104	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

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