Florida Senate - 2021                                    SB 1582
       
       
        
       By Senator Rouson
       
       
       
       
       
       19-01896-21                                           20211582__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Task Force on the Monitoring of
    3         Children in Out-of-Home Care; creating s. 39.4092,
    4         F.S.; creating the Task Force on the Monitoring of
    5         Children in Out-of-Home Care for specified purposes;
    6         providing for membership; authorizing the task force
    7         to conduct meetings through teleconferences;
    8         prohibiting members from being reimbursed for per diem
    9         or travel expenses; requiring monthly reports to the
   10         secretary of the Department of Children and Families;
   11         requiring the task force to annually submit certain
   12         recommendations to the Governor and Legislature;
   13         providing an effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Section 39.4092, Florida Statutes, is created to
   18  read:
   19         39.4092 Task Force on the Monitoring of Children in Out-of
   20  Home Care.—
   21         (1) The Task Force on the Monitoring of Children in Out-of
   22  Home Care, a task force as defined in s. 20.03(8), is
   23  established within the Department of Children and Families. The
   24  task force shall be composed of 15 members. Five members shall
   25  be appointed by the Governor, five members shall be appointed by
   26  the President of the Senate, and five members shall be appointed
   27  by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The task force
   28  shall be composed of representatives from the Department of
   29  Children and Families, the Department of Law Enforcement, the
   30  Guardian Ad Litem Program, Safe Kids Florida within the
   31  Department of Health, community-based care lead agencies, and
   32  Child Protection Teams. Each member shall serve at the pleasure
   33  of the appointing official. A vacancy on the task force shall be
   34  filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
   35         (2) The task force shall annually elect a chair from among
   36  its members.
   37         (3) The task force shall meet as necessary in order to
   38  complete its task. The task force may conduct its meetings
   39  through teleconferences or other similar electronic means.
   40  Members of the task force are not entitled to receive
   41  reimbursement for per diem or travel expenses.
   42         (4) The task force shall develop a statewide system for
   43  collecting information on, and monitoring the whereabouts and
   44  safety of, children who have been placed in out-of-home care.
   45  The task force shall explore ways to improve the use of
   46  technology, training, communication, and cooperation among all
   47  entities involved in the child welfare system in order to
   48  improve the quality of care of children placed in out-of-home
   49  care and to identify children who are at risk for being lost.
   50  The task force shall develop statewide uniform guidelines,
   51  standards, and protocols to effectively respond when a child in
   52  out-of-home care is reported missing.
   53         (5) The task force shall submit monthly reports on the
   54  number of children who have gone missing, and the reason why, if
   55  known, from out-of-home care to the secretary of the Department
   56  of Children and Families. Beginning January 1, 2022, and every
   57  year thereafter, the task force shall submit its recommendations
   58  for developing a statewide monitoring system and uniform
   59  guidelines as required under subsection (4) to the Governor, the
   60  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
   61  Representatives.
   62         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.