Florida Senate - 2023                                     SB 366
       
       
        
       By Senator Burgess
       
       
       
       
       
       23-00521A-23                                           2023366__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to dental services for veterans;
    3         creating s. 295.157, F.S.; providing legislative
    4         findings and intent; defining terms; establishing the
    5         Veterans Dental Care Grant Program in the Department
    6         of Veterans’ Affairs; specifying the purpose of the
    7         program; requiring the department to contract with a
    8         direct-service organization to administer the program;
    9         requiring the department to adopt rules; providing
   10         that program funding is subject to legislative
   11         appropriation; providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 295.157, Florida Statutes, is created to
   16  read:
   17         295.157 Veterans Dental Care Grant Program.—
   18         (1) The Legislature finds that veterans are not afforded
   19  dental care after serving in the United States Armed Forces
   20  unless they are totally and permanently disabled or have a
   21  direct service-connected injury impacting their oral health. The
   22  Legislature further finds that this has left many veterans
   23  without access to routine dental care for many years and has
   24  resulted in severe dental conditions that worsen due to a lack
   25  of access to proper dental treatment. It is the intent of the
   26  Legislature to create the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program to
   27  provide veterans the opportunity to access routine dental care
   28  after they conclude their service protecting this country’s
   29  freedom.
   30         (2) As used in this section, the term:
   31         (a) “Department” means the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
   32         (b) “Veteran” has the same meaning as in s. 1.01(14). The
   33  term includes all members of the Florida National Guard and
   34  United States Reserve Forces who were discharged or released
   35  under honorable conditions only, or who later received an
   36  upgraded discharge under honorable conditions.
   37         (3) The Veterans Dental Care Grant Program is established
   38  within the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The purpose of the
   39  program is to provide oral health care to veterans who reside in
   40  this state.
   41         (4) The department shall contract with a statewide direct-
   42  service organization to administer the Veterans Dental Care
   43  Grant Program. The statewide direct-service organization must
   44  have proven experience developing and implementing veteran
   45  relevant programs, including dental service programs. The
   46  organization is responsible for distributing grants to eligible
   47  nonprofits that have experience in providing dental care to
   48  veterans.
   49         (5) The department shall adopt rules to administer the
   50  program.
   51         (6) Funding for the program is subject to appropriation by
   52  the Legislature.
   53         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.