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; prohibiting the department from
9	discontinuing certain generic products under certain
10	circumstances; restricting the funding of the program to
11	federal funds; providing for submission of budget
12	amendments by the department; amending s. 409.942, F.S.;
13	requiring the department to submit a plan to establish an
14	electronic benefit transfer program to distribute WIC
15	benefits to the United States Department of Agriculture;
16	requiring the department to establish an electronic
17	benefit transfer program to distribute WIC benefits;
18	requiring the department to collaborate with the
19	Department of Children and Family Services in developing
20	the program and pay all costs associated therewith;
21	providing an effective date.
22
23	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25	Section 1.  Subsection (3) is added to section 383.011,
26	Florida Statutes, to read:
27	383.011  Administration of maternal and child health
28	programs.--
29	(3)  In administering the WIC program, the Department of
30	Health:
31	(a)  For purposes of meeting the federal cost neutrality
32	requirement of 7 C.F.R. part 246, shall compare the average cost
33	of each food item redeemed by above-50-percent vendors against
34	the average cost of the same food item redeemed by regular
35	vendors.
36	(b)  May not discontinue a WIC-eligible generic product
37	unless the product no longer meets the nutritional guidelines of
38	the WIC program.
39	(c)  Shall only expend funds provided by the Federal
40	Government for the administration of the program. In the event
41	the department exceeds the federal funding allocation, the
42	department may submit a budget amendment to the Executive Office
43	of the Governor requesting additional state trust fund authority
44	to implement the program pursuant to s. 216.181(11).
45	Section 2.  Section 409.942, Florida Statutes, is amended
46	to read:
47	409.942  Electronic benefit transfer program.--
48	(1)  The Department of Children and Family Services shall
49	establish an electronic benefit transfer program for the
50	dissemination of food stamp benefits and temporary assistance
51	payments, including refugee cash assistance payments, asylum
52	applicant payments, and child support disregard payments. If the
53	Federal Government does not enact legislation or regulations
54	providing for dissemination of supplemental security income by
55	electronic benefit transfer, the state may include supplemental
56	security income in the electronic benefit transfer program.
57	(a)(2)  The department shall, in accordance with applicable
58	federal laws and regulations, develop minimum program
59	requirements and other policy initiatives for the electronic
60	benefit transfer program.
61	(b)(3)  The department shall enter into public-private
62	contracts for all provisions of electronic transfer of public
63	assistance benefits.
64	(2)(4)  Workforce Florida, Inc., through the Agency for
65	Workforce Innovation, shall establish an electronic benefit
66	transfer program for the use and management of education,
67	training, child care, transportation, and other program benefits
68	under its direction. The workforce electronic benefit transfer
69	program shall fulfill all federal and state requirements for
70	Individual Training Accounts, Retention Incentive Training
71	Accounts, Individual Development Accounts, and Individual
72	Services Accounts. The workforce electronic benefit transfer
73	program shall be designed to enable an individual who receives
74	an electronic benefit transfer card under subsection (1) to use
75	that card for purposes of benefits provided under the workforce
76	development system as well. The Department of Children and
77	Family Services shall assist Workforce Florida, Inc., in
78	developing an electronic benefit transfer program for the
79	workforce development system that is fully compatible with the
80	department's electronic benefit transfer program. The agency
81	shall reimburse the department for all costs incurred in
82	providing such assistance and shall pay all costs for the
83	development of the workforce electronic benefit transfer
84	program.
85	(3)  By January 1, 2009, the Department of Health shall
86	submit a plan for approval by the United States Department of
87	Agriculture, Bureau of Food and Nutrition Service, for the
88	implementation of a statewide electronic benefits transfer
89	program for the dissemination of benefits under the Special
90	Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
91	(WIC), authorized by the Child Nutrition Act. The plan shall be
92	developed in consultation with authorized WIC vendors, including
93	above-50-percent vendors. By July 1, 2010, the Department of
94	Health shall establish a statewide electronic benefit transfer
95	program for the distribution of benefits under the "Special
96	Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
97	Children," or WIC, authorized by the Child Nutrition Act of
98	1966, as amended.
99	(a)  The WIC electronic benefit transfer program shall be
100	designed to enable an individual who receives an electronic
101	benefit transfer card under subsection (1) or subsection (2) to
102	use that card for purposes of benefits provided under the WIC
103	program.
104	(b)  The Department of Children and Family Services shall
105	assist the Department of Health in developing an electronic
106	benefit transfer program for the WIC program that is fully
107	compatible with the electronic benefit transfer programs
108	operated by the Department of Children and Family Services and
109	Workforce Florida, Inc. The Department of Health shall reimburse
110	the Department of Children and Family Services for all costs
111	incurred in providing such assistance and shall pay all costs
112	for the development of the WIC electronic benefit transfer
113	program.
114	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

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