Florida Senate - 2008 SB 2486
By Senator Posey
24-03316-08 20082486__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to dependent children; amending s. 39.01,
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F.S.; redefining the term "harm" to provide that a mother
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harms her child's health or welfare by using a controlled
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substance during pregnancy without regard to whether using
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the controlled substance adversely affected the child;
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relating to child abuse prevention training in the
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district school system and grounds for appointment of a
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guardian advocate, respectively, to incorporate the
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amendments made to s. 39.01, F.S., in references thereto;
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providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Paragraph (g) of subsection (31) of section
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39.01, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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39.01 Definitions.--When used in this chapter, unless the
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context otherwise requires:
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(31) "Harm" to a child's health or welfare can occur when
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any person:
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(g) Exposes a child to a controlled substance or alcohol.
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Exposure to a controlled substance or alcohol is established by:
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1. Use by the mother of a controlled substance or alcohol
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during pregnancy when the child, at birth, is demonstrably
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adversely affected by such usage; or
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2. Use by the mother of alcohol during pregnancy when the
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child, at birth, is demonstrably adversely affected by such
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usage; or
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3.2. Continued chronic and severe use of a controlled
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substance or alcohol by a parent when the child is demonstrably
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adversely affected by such usage.
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As used in this paragraph, the term "controlled substance" means
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prescription drugs not prescribed for the parent or not
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administered as prescribed and controlled substances as outlined
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in Schedule I or Schedule II of s. 893.03.
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Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendments
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made by this act to section 39.01, Florida Statutes, in a
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reference thereto, paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
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39.0015, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
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39.0015 Child abuse prevention training in the district
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school system.--
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(3) DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section:
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(b) "Child abuse" means those acts as defined in ss.
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984.03(1), (2), and (37).
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Section 3. For the purpose of incorporating the amendments
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made by this act to section 39.01, Florida Statutes, in a
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reference thereto, of subsection (1) of section 39.828, Florida
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Statutes, is reenacted to read:
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39.828 Grounds for appointment of a guardian advocate.--
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(1) The court shall appoint the person named in the
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petition as a guardian advocate with all the powers and duties
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specified in s. 39.829 for an initial term of 1 year upon a
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finding that:
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(a) The child named in the petition is or was a drug
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dependent newborn as described in s. 39.01(31)(g);
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(b) The parent or parents of the child have voluntarily
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relinquished temporary custody of the child to a relative or
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other responsible adult;
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(c) The person named in the petition to be appointed the
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guardian advocate is capable of carrying out the duties as
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provided in s. 39.829; and
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(d) A petition to adjudicate the child dependent under this
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chapter has not been filed.
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Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.