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 for 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 Miami-

9

Dade County; providing that the person who incurs the

10

increased cost must submit to the department documentation

11

of that increase; requiring that foster children be

12

encouraged to pay the remaining portion of the increase in

13

costs; directing the department to develop procedures for

14

operating the pilot program; requiring the department to

15

submit a report with recommendations to the Governor and

16

the Legislature by a specified date; providing an

17

effective date.

18

19

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

20

21

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

22

cost of motor vehicle insurance for a foster child after that

23

child obtains a driver's license is borne by the foster parents

24

or the authorized representative of the residential facility. The

25

increased cost of insurance creates an additional barrier for a

26

foster child in gaining independence and may limit the child's

27

opportunities for obtaining employment.

28

     (2) The Department of Children and Family Services shall

29

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

30

portion of the cost of motor vehicle insurance for foster

31

children who have obtained a driver's license. To the extent that

32

funding is available, the pilot program shall provide funds to

33

pay a portion of the increase in the cost of such insurance. To

34

be eligible for payment under the program, the person incurring

35

the cost must submit to the department appropriate documentation

36

demonstrating the increase in the cost of insurance. The amount

37

of the payment provided to the foster parent, residential

38

facility, or foster child if living independently shall be one-

39

half of the amount of the increase in the cost of motor vehicle

40

insurance which is incurred by adding the foster child to the

41

policy or less than one-half if another source of funding is

42

available to pay for the increase. The foster child must be

43

encouraged to pay the other half of the increase in insurance

44

costs.

45

     (3) The department shall develop operating procedures for

46

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

47

determining eligibility, providing the payment, ensuring that the

48

payment is limited solely to the additional costs of including

49

the foster child in the insurance coverage, and allocating

50

available funds.

51

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

52

possible, other available options for funding the increase in the

53

cost of motor vehicle insurance, such as, but not limited to, the

54

child's master trust fund, social security income, child support

55

payments, and other income available to the child.

56

     (5) Beginning January 1, 2009, and continuing for the

57

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

58

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

59

House of Representatives an annual report on the results and

60

outcomes achieved by the pilot program, with a recommendation as

61

to whether the program should be continued, terminated, or

62

expanded.

63

     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.