Florida Senate - 2015                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS/HB 7013, 1st Eng.
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì897674WÎ897674                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                Floor: 2/F/2R          .                                
             04/08/2015 05:41 PM       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       Senator Stargel moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Substitute for Amendment (412232) (with title
    2  amendment)
    3  
    4         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    5  and insert:
    6         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
    7  39.0016, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
    8         39.0016 Education of abused, neglected, and abandoned
    9  children; agency agreements; children having or suspected of
   10  having a disability.—
   11         (2) AGENCY AGREEMENTS.—
   12         (b) The department shall enter into agreements with
   13  district school boards or other local educational entities
   14  regarding education and related services for children known to
   15  the department who are of school age and children known to the
   16  department who are younger than school age but who would
   17  otherwise qualify for services from the district school board.
   18  Such agreements shall include, but are not limited to:
   19         1. A requirement that the department shall:
   20         a. Ensure Enroll children known to the department are
   21  enrolled in school or in the best educational setting that meets
   22  the needs of the child. The agreement shall provide for
   23  continuing the enrollment of a child known to the department at
   24  the same school of origin when, if possible if it is in the best
   25  interest of the child, with the goal of minimal avoiding
   26  disruption of education.
   27         b. Notify the school and school district in which a child
   28  known to the department is enrolled of the name and phone number
   29  of the child known to the department caregiver and caseworker
   30  for child safety purposes.
   31         c. Establish a protocol for the department to share
   32  information about a child known to the department with the
   33  school district, consistent with the Family Educational Rights
   34  and Privacy Act, since the sharing of information will assist
   35  each agency in obtaining education and related services for the
   36  benefit of the child. The protocol must require the district
   37  school boards or other local educational entities to access the
   38  department’s Florida Safe Families Network to obtain information
   39  about children known to the department, consistent with the
   40  Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. s.
   41  1232g.
   42         d. Notify the school district of the department’s case
   43  planning for a child known to the department, both at the time
   44  of plan development and plan review. Within the plan development
   45  or review process, the school district may provide information
   46  regarding the child known to the department if the school
   47  district deems it desirable and appropriate.
   48         e. Show no prejudice against out-of-home caregivers who
   49  desire to educate at home any children placed in their home
   50  through the child welfare system.
   51         2. A requirement that the district school board shall:
   52         a. Provide the department with a general listing of the
   53  services and information available from the district school
   54  board to facilitate educational access for a child known to the
   55  department.
   56         b. Identify all educational and other services provided by
   57  the school and school district which the school district
   58  believes are reasonably necessary to meet the educational needs
   59  of a child known to the department.
   60         c. Determine whether transportation is available for a
   61  child known to the department when such transportation will
   62  avoid a change in school assignment due to a change in
   63  residential placement. Recognizing that continued enrollment in
   64  the same school throughout the time the child known to the
   65  department is in out-of-home care is preferable unless
   66  enrollment in the same school would be unsafe or otherwise
   67  impractical, the department, the district school board, and the
   68  Department of Education shall assess the availability of
   69  federal, charitable, or grant funding for such transportation.
   70         d. Provide individualized student intervention or an
   71  individual educational plan when a determination has been made
   72  through legally appropriate criteria that intervention services
   73  are required. The intervention or individual educational plan
   74  must include strategies to enable the child known to the
   75  department to maximize the attainment of educational goals.
   76         3. A requirement that the department and the district
   77  school board shall cooperate in accessing the services and
   78  supports needed for a child known to the department who has or
   79  is suspected of having a disability to receive an appropriate
   80  education consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities
   81  Education Act and state implementing laws, rules, and
   82  assurances. Coordination of services for a child known to the
   83  department who has or is suspected of having a disability may
   84  include:
   85         a. Referral for screening.
   86         b. Sharing of evaluations between the school district and
   87  the department where appropriate.
   88         c. Provision of education and related services appropriate
   89  for the needs and abilities of the child known to the
   90  department.
   91         d. Coordination of services and plans between the school
   92  and the residential setting to avoid duplication or conflicting
   93  service plans.
   94         e. Appointment of a surrogate parent, consistent with the
   95  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and pursuant to
   96  subsection (3), for educational purposes for a child known to
   97  the department who qualifies.
   98         f. For each child known to the department 14 years of age
   99  and older, transition planning by the department and all
  100  providers, including the department’s independent living program
  101  staff, to meet the requirements of the local school district for
  102  educational purposes.
  103         Section 2. Subsection (6) is added to section 39.812,
  104  Florida Statutes, to read:
  105         39.812 Postdisposition relief; petition for adoption.—
  106         (6)(a) Once a child’s adoption is finalized, the community
  107  based care lead agency is required to make a reasonable effort
  108  to make contact with the adoptive family either in person or by
  109  telephone 1 year after the date of finalization of the adoption
  110  as a post-adoption service. If the family has relocated to
  111  another state, the required contact may occur by telephone. For
  112  the purposes of this subsection, the term “reasonable effort”
  113  means the exercise of reasonable diligence and care by the
  114  community-based care lead agency to make contact with the
  115  adoptive family. At a minimum, the community-based care lead
  116  agency must document the following:
  117         1.The number of attempts made by the community-based care
  118  lead agency to contact the adoptive family and whether those
  119  attempts were successful;
  120         2.The types of post-adoption services that were requested
  121  by the adoptive family and whether those services were provided
  122  by the community-based care lead agency; and
  123         3.Any feedback received by the community-based care lead
  124  agency from the adoptive family related to the quality or
  125  effectiveness of services provided; and
  126         (b)The community-based care lead agency must annually
  127  report to the department on the outcomes achieved and
  128  recommendations for improvement under this subsection.
  129         Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 409.145, Florida
  130  Statutes, is amended to read:
  131         409.145 Care of children; quality parenting; “reasonable
  132  and prudent parent” standard.—The child welfare system of the
  133  department shall operate as a coordinated community-based system
  134  of care which empowers all caregivers for children in foster
  135  care to provide quality parenting, including approving or
  136  disapproving a child’s participation in activities based on the
  137  caregiver’s assessment using the “reasonable and prudent parent”
  138  standard.
  139         (2) QUALITY PARENTING.—A child in foster care shall be
  140  placed only with a caregiver who has the ability to care for the
  141  child, is willing to accept responsibility for providing care,
  142  and is willing and able to learn about and be respectful of the
  143  child’s culture, religion and ethnicity, special physical or
  144  psychological needs, any circumstances unique to the child, and
  145  family relationships. The department, the community-based care
  146  lead agency, and other agencies shall provide such caregiver
  147  with all available information necessary to assist the caregiver
  148  in determining whether he or she is able to appropriately care
  149  for a particular child.
  150         (a) Roles and responsibilities of caregivers.—A caregiver
  151  shall:
  152         1. Participate in developing the case plan for the child
  153  and his or her family and work with others involved in his or
  154  her care to implement this plan. This participation includes the
  155  caregiver’s involvement in all team meetings or court hearings
  156  related to the child’s care.
  157         2. Complete all training needed to improve skills in
  158  parenting a child who has experienced trauma due to neglect,
  159  abuse, or separation from home, to meet the child’s special
  160  needs, and to work effectively with child welfare agencies, the
  161  court, the schools, and other community and governmental
  162  agencies.
  163         3. Respect and support the child’s ties to members of his
  164  or her biological family and assist the child in maintaining
  165  allowable visitation and other forms of communication.
  166         4. Effectively advocate for the child in the caregiver’s
  167  care with the child welfare system, the court, and community
  168  agencies, including the school, child care, health and mental
  169  health providers, and employers.
  170         5. Participate fully in the child’s medical, psychological,
  171  and dental care as the caregiver would for his or her biological
  172  child.
  173         6. Support the child’s educational school success by
  174  participating in school activities and meetings associated with
  175  the child’s school or other educational setting, including
  176  Individual Education Plan meetings and meetings with an
  177  educational surrogate if one has been appointed, assisting with
  178  school assignments, supporting tutoring programs, meeting with
  179  teachers and working with an educational surrogate if one has
  180  been appointed, and encouraging the child’s participation in
  181  extracurricular activities.
  182         a.Maintaining educational stability for a child while in
  183  out-of-home care by allowing the child to remain in the school
  184  or educational setting he or she attended before entry into out
  185  of-home care is the first priority, unless it is not in the best
  186  interest of the child.
  187         b.If it is not in the best interest of the child to remain
  188  in his or her school or educational setting upon entry into out
  189  of-home care, the caregiver must work with the case manager,
  190  guardian ad litem, teachers and guidance counselors, and
  191  educational surrogate if one has been appointed, to determine
  192  the best educational setting for the child. Those settings may
  193  include a public school that is not the school of origin, a
  194  private school pursuant to s. 1002.42, virtual education
  195  programs pursuant to s. 1002.45, or education at home pursuant
  196  to s. 1002.41.
  197         7. Work in partnership with other stakeholders to obtain
  198  and maintain records that are important to the child’s well
  199  being, including child resource records, medical records, school
  200  records, photographs, and records of special events and
  201  achievements.
  202         8. Ensure that the child in the caregiver’s care who is
  203  between 13 and 17 years of age learns and masters independent
  204  living skills.
  205         9. Ensure that the child in the caregiver’s care is aware
  206  of the requirements and benefits of the Road-to-Independence
  207  Program.
  208         10. Work to enable the child in the caregiver’s care to
  209  establish and maintain naturally occurring mentoring
  210  relationships.
  211         (b) Roles and responsibilities of the department, the
  212  community-based care lead agency, and other agency staff.—The
  213  department, the community-based care lead agency, and other
  214  agency staff shall:
  215         1. Include a caregiver in the development and
  216  implementation of the case plan for the child and his or her
  217  family. The caregiver shall be authorized to participate in all
  218  team meetings or court hearings related to the child’s care and
  219  future plans. The caregiver’s participation shall be facilitated
  220  through timely notification, an inclusive process, and
  221  alternative methods for participation for a caregiver who cannot
  222  be physically present.
  223         2. Develop and make available to the caregiver the
  224  information, services, training, and support that the caregiver
  225  needs to improve his or her skills in parenting children who
  226  have experienced trauma due to neglect, abuse, or separation
  227  from home, to meet these children’s special needs, and to
  228  advocate effectively with child welfare agencies, the courts,
  229  schools, and other community and governmental agencies.
  230         3. Provide the caregiver with all information related to
  231  services and other benefits that are available to the child.
  232         4. Show no prejudice against a caregiver who desires to
  233  educate at home any children placed in his or her home through
  234  the child welfare system.
  235         (c) Transitions.—
  236         1. Once a caregiver accepts the responsibility of caring
  237  for a child, the child will be removed from the home of that
  238  caregiver only if:
  239         a. The caregiver is clearly unable to safely or legally
  240  care for the child;
  241         b. The child and his or her biological family are
  242  reunified;
  243         c. The child is being placed in a legally permanent home
  244  pursuant to the case plan or a court order; or
  245         d. The removal is demonstrably in the child’s best
  246  interest.
  247         2. In the absence of an emergency, if a child leaves the
  248  caregiver’s home for a reason provided under subparagraph 1.,
  249  the transition must be accomplished according to a plan that
  250  involves cooperation and sharing of information among all
  251  persons involved, respects the child’s developmental stage and
  252  psychological needs, ensures the child has all of his or her
  253  belongings, allows for a gradual transition from the caregiver’s
  254  home and, if possible, for continued contact with the caregiver
  255  after the child leaves.
  256         (d) Information sharing.—Whenever a foster home or
  257  residential group home assumes responsibility for the care of a
  258  child, the department and any additional providers shall make
  259  available to the caregiver as soon as is practicable all
  260  relevant information concerning the child. Records and
  261  information that are required to be shared with caregivers
  262  include, but are not limited to:
  263         1. Medical, dental, psychological, psychiatric, and
  264  behavioral history, as well as ongoing evaluation or treatment
  265  needs;
  266         2. School records;
  267         3. Copies of his or her birth certificate and, if
  268  appropriate, immigration status documents;
  269         4. Consents signed by parents;
  270         5. Comprehensive behavioral assessments and other social
  271  assessments;
  272         6. Court orders;
  273         7. Visitation and case plans;
  274         8. Guardian ad litem reports;
  275         9. Staffing forms; and
  276         10. Judicial or citizen review panel reports and
  277  attachments filed with the court, except confidential medical,
  278  psychiatric, and psychological information regarding any party
  279  or participant other than the child.
  280         (e) Caregivers employed by residential group homes.—All
  281  caregivers in residential group homes shall meet the same
  282  education, training, and background and other screening
  283  requirements as foster parents.
  284         Section 4. Section 409.1662, Florida Statutes, is created
  285  to read:
  286         409.1662 Children within the child welfare system; adoption
  287  incentive program.—
  288         (1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the adoption incentive program
  289  is to advance the state’s achievement of permanency, stability,
  290  and well-being in living arrangements for children in foster
  291  care who cannot be reunited with their families. The department
  292  shall establish the adoption incentive program to award
  293  incentive payment to community-based care lead agencies, as
  294  defined in s. 409.986, and their subcontractors that are
  295  involved in the adoption process for achievement of specific and
  296  measurable adoption performance standards that lead to
  297  permanency, stability, and well-being for children.
  298         (2) ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM.—
  299         (a) The department shall conduct a comprehensive baseline
  300  assessment of the performance of lead agencies and providers
  301  related to adoption of children from foster care. The assessment
  302  shall compile annual data for each of the most recent 5 years
  303  for which data is available. The department shall update the
  304  assessment annually. At a minimum, the assessment shall
  305  identify:
  306         1. The number of families attempting to adopt children from
  307  foster care and the number of families completing the adoption
  308  process.
  309         2. The number of children eligible for adoption and the
  310  number of children whose adoptions were finalized.
  311         3.The amount of time eligible children waited for
  312  adoption.
  313         4. The number of adoptions that resulted in disruption or
  314  dissolution and the subset of those disrupted adoptions that
  315  were preventable by the community-based care lead agency or the
  316  subcontracted provider.
  317         5. The time taken to complete each phase of the adoption
  318  process.
  319         6. The expenditures made to recruit adoptive homes and a
  320  description of any initiative to improve adoption performance or
  321  streamline the adoption process.
  322         7. The results of any specific effort to gather feedback
  323  from prospective adoptive parents, adoptive parents, children in
  324  the child welfare system, adoptees, and other stakeholders.
  325         8. The use of evidence-based, evidence-informed, promising,
  326  and innovative practices in recruitment, orientation, and
  327  preparation of appropriate adoptive families, matching children
  328  with families, supporting children during the adoption process,
  329  and providing post-adoptive support.
  330         (b)Using the information from the baseline assessment, the
  331  department shall annually negotiate outcome-based agreements
  332  with lead agencies and their subcontracted providers. The
  333  agreements must establish measurable outcome targets to increase
  334  the number of adoptions resulting in permanent placements that
  335  enhance children’s well-being. The agreements will define the
  336  method for measuring performance and for determining the level
  337  of performance required to earn the incentive payment, and the
  338  amount of the incentive payment which may be earned for each
  339  target.
  340         (3) INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.—
  341         (a) The department shall allocate incentive payments to
  342  performance improvement targets in a manner that ensures that
  343  total payments do not exceed the amount appropriated for this
  344  purpose.
  345         (b) The department shall ensure that the amount of the
  346  incentive payments are proportionate to the value of the
  347  performance improvement.
  348         (4) REPORT.—The department shall report annually by
  349  November 15 to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
  350  the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the negotiated
  351  targets set for, outcomes achieved by, and incentive payments
  352  made to each community-based care lead agency during the
  353  previous fiscal year. The department shall also report on the
  354  program enhancements made by each community-based care lead
  355  agency and its subcontractors to achieve negotiated outcomes
  356  under this section.
  357         Section 5. Section 409.1664, Florida Statutes, is created
  358  to read:
  359         409.1664 Adoption benefits for qualifying adoptive
  360  employees of state agencies.—
  361         (1) As used in this section, the term:
  362         (a) “Child within the child welfare system” has the same
  363  meaning as in s. 409.166.
  364         (b) “Qualifying adoptive employee” means a full-time or
  365  part-time employee of a state agency who is paid from regular
  366  salary appropriations, or otherwise meets the state agency
  367  employer’s definition of a regular rather than temporary
  368  employee, and who adopts a child within the child welfare system
  369  pursuant to chapter 63 on or after January 1, 2015. The term
  370  includes instructional personnel, as defined in s. 1012.01,
  371  employed by the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.
  372         (c) “State agency” means a branch, department, or agency of
  373  state government for which the Chief Financial Officer processes
  374  payroll requisitions, a state university or Florida College
  375  System institution as defined in s. 1000.21, a school district
  376  unit as defined in s. 1001.30, or a water management district as
  377  defined in s. 373.019.
  378         (2) A qualifying adoptive employee that adopts a child
  379  within the child welfare system who has special needs as
  380  described in s. 409.166(2)(a)2. is eligible to receive a lump
  381  sum benefit in the amount of $10,000 per child, subject to
  382  applicable taxes. A qualifying adoptive employee that adopts a
  383  child within the child welfare system who does not have the
  384  special needs as described in s. 409.166(2)(a)2. is eligible to
  385  receive a lump sum benefit in the amount of $5,000 per child,
  386  subject to applicable taxes.
  387         (a) Benefits paid to a qualifying adoptive employee who is
  388  a part-time employee must be prorated based on the qualifying
  389  adoptive employee’s full-time equivalency at the time of
  390  applying for the benefits.
  391         (b) Benefits under this section are limited to one award
  392  per adopted child within the child welfare system.
  393         (c) The payment of a lump-sum benefit for adopting a child
  394  within the child welfare system under this section is subject to
  395  a specific appropriation to the department for such purpose.
  396         (3) A qualifying adoptive employee must apply to his or her
  397  agency head to obtain the benefit provided in subsection (2).
  398  Applications must be on forms approved by the department and
  399  must include a certified copy of the final order of adoption
  400  naming the applicant as the adoptive parent.
  401         (4) This section does not preclude a qualifying adoptive
  402  employee from receiving adoption assistance he or she may
  403  qualify for under s. 409.166 or any other statute that provides
  404  financial incentives for the adoption of children.
  405         (5) Parental leave for a qualifying adoptive employee must
  406  be provided in accordance with the personnel policies and
  407  procedures of the employee’s state agency employer.
  408         (6) The department shall adopt rules to administer this
  409  section. The rules may provide for an application process such
  410  as, but not limited to, an open enrollment period during which
  411  qualifying adoptive employees may apply for monetary benefits
  412  under this section.
  413         (7) The Chief Financial Officer shall disburse a monetary
  414  benefit to a qualifying adoptive employee upon the department’s
  415  submission of a payroll requisition. The Chief Financial Officer
  416  shall transfer funds from the department to a state university,
  417  Florida College System institution, school district unit, or
  418  water management district, as appropriate, to enable payment to
  419  the qualifying adoptive employee through the payroll systems as
  420  long as funds are available for such purpose.
  421         (8) Each state agency shall develop a uniform procedure for
  422  informing employees about this benefit and for assisting the
  423  department in making eligibility determinations and processing
  424  applications. Any procedure adopted by a state agency is valid
  425  and enforceable if the procedure does not conflict with the
  426  express terms of this section.
  427         Section 6. Section 409.1666, Florida Statutes, is created
  428  to read:
  429         409.1666 Annual adoption achievement awards.—Each year, the
  430  Governor shall select and recognize one or more individuals,
  431  families, or organizations that make significant contributions
  432  to enabling this state’s foster children to achieve permanency
  433  through adoption. The department shall define appropriate
  434  categories for the achievement awards and seek nominations for
  435  potential recipients in each category from individuals and
  436  organizations knowledgeable about foster care and adoption.
  437         (1) The award shall recognize persons whose contributions
  438  involve extraordinary effort or personal sacrifice in order to
  439  provide caring and permanent homes for foster children.
  440         (2) A direct-support organization established in accordance
  441  with s. 39.0011 by the Office of Adoption and Child Protection
  442  within the Executive Office of the Governor may accept donations
  443  of products or services from private sources to be given to the
  444  recipients of the adoption achievement awards. The direct
  445  support organization may also provide suitable plaques, framed
  446  certificates, pins, and other tokens of recognition.
  447         Section 7. Subsection (18) is added to section 409.175,
  448  Florida Statutes, to read:
  449         409.175 Licensure of family foster homes, residential
  450  child-caring agencies, and child-placing agencies; public
  451  records exemption.—
  452         (18)(a) A licensed child-placing agency conducting
  453  intercountry adoptions must be designated by the United States
  454  Department of State as an accredited entity for intercountry
  455  adoption services.
  456         (b)A licensed child-placing agency providing adoption
  457  services for intercountry adoption in Hague Convention
  458  countries, in incoming or outgoing cases, must meet the federal
  459  regulations pertaining to intercountry adoptions with convention
  460  countries.
  461         (c)An adoption agency in this state which provides
  462  intercountry adoption services for families residing in this
  463  state must maintain a record that contains, at a minimum, the
  464  following:
  465         1.All available family and medical history of the birth
  466  family;
  467         2.All legal documents translated into English;
  468         3.All necessary documents obtained by the adoptive parent
  469  in order for the child to attain United States citizenship, or
  470  if applicable, other legal immigration status; and
  471         4. All supervisory reports prepared before an adoption and
  472  after the finalization of an adoption.
  473         Section 8. For the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the sum of $6.5
  474  million in recurring funds from the General Revenue Fund is
  475  appropriated to the Department of Children and Families for the
  476  creation of the adoption incentive program. The Executive Office
  477  of the Governor shall place these funds in reserve until such
  478  time as the Department of Children and Families submits a plan
  479  identifying the performance measures, targeted outcomes, and an
  480  expenditure plan for approval to the Executive Office of the
  481  Governor and the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget
  482  Commission in accordance with s. 216.177, Florida Statutes.
  483         Section 9. For the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the sum of
  484  $3,425,356 in recurring funds from the General Revenue Fund is
  485  appropriated to the Department of Children and Families for the
  486  creation of the adoption benefits for qualifying adoptive
  487  employees of state agencies. For the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the
  488  sum of $74,644 in recurring funds from the General Revenue Fund
  489  is appropriated to the Department of Children and Families and
  490  one full-time equivalent position with associated salary rate of
  491  46,382 is authorized for the creation of the adoption benefits
  492  for qualifying adoptive employees of state agencies and the
  493  development of performance measures and targeted outcomes.
  494         Section 10. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.
  495  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  496  And the title is amended as follows:
  497         Delete everything before the enacting clause
  498  and insert:
  499                        A bill to be entitled                      
  500         An act relating to adoption and foster care; amending
  501         s. 39.0016, F.S.; revising what the Department of
  502         Children and Families must do when required to enter
  503         into agreements with specified entities; amending s.
  504         39.812, F.S.; requiring the community-based care lead
  505         agency to visit in person or contact by telephone the
  506         child and the child’s adoptive family 1 year after the
  507         date the adoption is finalized; requiring the agency
  508         to document specified information; requiring the
  509         agency to submit a report annually to the department;
  510         amending s. 409.145, F.S.; revising caregiver roles
  511         and responsibilities; revising the roles and
  512         responsibilities of the department, the community
  513         based care lead agency, and other agency staff;
  514         creating s. 409.1662, F.S.; providing the purpose of
  515         the adoption incentive program; directing the
  516         Department of Children and Families to establish an
  517         adoption incentive program for certain agencies and
  518         subcontractors; requiring that the department conduct
  519         a comprehensive baseline assessment of lead agencies
  520         and provider performance and compile annual data for
  521         the most recent 5 years of available data; requiring
  522         the department to update the assessment annually;
  523         providing a nonexclusive list of factors for the
  524         assessment to identify; requiring that the department
  525         negotiate outcome-based agreements; requiring that
  526         several factors be included in the agreements;
  527         requiring the department to allocate incentive
  528         payments; requiring the department to report annually
  529         by a certain date specified information to the
  530         Governor and the Legislature; creating s. 409.1664,
  531         F.S.; defining terms; providing certain amounts
  532         payable to a qualifying adoptive employee who adopts
  533         specified children under certain circumstances,
  534         subject to applicable taxes; providing prorated
  535         payments for a part-time employee and limiting the
  536         monetary benefit to one award per child; requiring
  537         that a qualifying adoptive employee apply to the
  538         agency head for the monetary benefit on forms approved
  539         by the department and include a certified copy of the
  540         final order of adoption; providing that the rights
  541         offered by this act do not preclude a qualifying
  542         adoptive employee who adopts a special needs child
  543         from receiving any other assistance or incentive;
  544         requiring that parental leave for qualifying adoptive
  545         employees be provided; requiring the department to
  546         adopt rules; requiring the Chief Financial Officer to
  547         submit payment to a qualifying adoptive employee
  548         depending on where he or she works; requiring state
  549         agencies to develop uniform procedures for informing
  550         employees about this benefit and for assisting the
  551         department in making eligibility determinations and
  552         processing applications; creating s. 409.1666, F.S.;
  553         requiring the Governor to annually select and
  554         recognize certain individuals, families, or
  555         organizations for adoption achievement awards;
  556         requiring the department to define categories for the
  557         achievement awards and seek nominations for potential
  558         recipients; authorizing a direct-support organization
  559         established by the Office of Adoption and Child
  560         Protection to accept donations of products or services
  561         from private sources to be given to the recipients of
  562         the adoption achievement awards; amending s. 409.175,
  563         F.S.; requiring licensed child-placing agencies
  564         providing adoption services for intercountry adoptions
  565         to meet specified requirements; requiring an adoption
  566         agency in this state which provides certain services
  567         to maintain records with specified information;
  568         providing appropriations; providing an effective date.