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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to emergency management; amending s.

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414.095, F.S.; requiring the Department of Children and

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Family Services, to the extent permitted by federal law,

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to expedite application procedures for persons who reside

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in an area damaged by a major disaster and who apply for

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temporary cash assistance; requiring that the application

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process be completed within a specified time; requiring

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the department to train its employees who are responsible

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for determining eligibility for temporary cash assistance

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in order to expedite the application process for the

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victims of a major disaster and to assist the victims in

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contacting agencies that provide temporary shelter, food,

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food stamps, and other relief; amending s. 252.36, F.S.;

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authorizing the Governor to employ such measures and give

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such directions to certain specified agencies as are

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necessary for the purpose of addressing the needs for

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immediate cash, shelter, or food assistance for children,

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families, and the elderly and disabled during an

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emergency; 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.  Present subsection (18) of section 414.095,

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Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (19), and a new

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subsection (18) is added to that section, to read:

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     414.095  Determining eligibility for temporary cash

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assistance.--

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     (18) EXPEDITED APPLICATION PROCESS.--

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     (1) To the extent permitted by federal law or regulation,

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the department shall expedite application procedures for

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applicants who reside in an area damaged by a major disaster, as

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defined in s. 252.34. The department must complete the

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application process within 10 calendar days after receiving a

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completed application.

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     (2) The department shall train its employees who are

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responsible for determining eligibility for temporary cash

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assistance in order to expedite the application process for the

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victims of major disasters and to assist the victims in

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contacting appropriate agencies that provide temporary shelter,

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food, food stamps, and other relief.

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     Section 2.  Present subsections (8), (9), and (10) of

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section 252.36, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections

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(9), (10), and (11), respectively, and a new subsection (8) is

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added to that section, to read:

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     252.36  Emergency management powers of the Governor.--

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     (8) The Governor shall employ such measures and give such

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directions to the Department of Children and Family Services, the

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Agency for Workforce Development, the Department of Elderly

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Affairs, and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities as are

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reasonably necessary for the purpose of securing compliance with

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the provisions of ss. 252.31-252.60 or with the findings or

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recommendations of such agencies regarding the need for immediate

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cash, shelter, or food assistance for children, families, and the

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elderly and disabled during an emergency.

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     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.