Florida Senate - 2025 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 1144
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LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
04/01/2025 .
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The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability
(Burgess) recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Part IV of chapter 23, Florida Statutes,
6 consisting of ss. 23.41, 23.42, 23.43, 23.44, and 23.45, is
7 created and entitled “Hope Florida.”
8 Section 2. Section 23.41, Florida Statutes, is created to
9 read:
10 23.41 Short title.—This part may be cited as the “Hope
11 Florida Act.”
12 Section 3. Section 23.42, Florida Statutes, is created to
13 read:
14 23.42 Hope Florida goals.—The goals of Hope Florida are to:
15 (1) Streamline access to support, services, and assistance
16 so that residents in need can reach their full potential within
17 their local communities and to holistically coordinate care
18 through Hope Navigators.
19 (2) Facilitate alignment and coordination of participating
20 state agencies.
21 (3) Break down traditional silos and establish a seamless
22 network of support systems, managed through one centralized
23 system comprised of private businesses, nonprofit entities,
24 state agencies, and faith-based organizations, to effectively
25 achieve desired outcomes and sustain long-term results including
26 greater self-sufficiency, community integration, and the
27 reduction of the participant’s sole reliance on government
28 programs.
29 Section 4. Section 23.43, Florida Statutes, is created to
30 read:
31 23.43 Definitions.—As used in this part, the term:
32 (1) “Care plan” means a written document that contains
33 information provided by Hope Florida to its participants for
34 whom Hope Florida has developed and customized actionable steps
35 and corresponding timelines to assist the participants in
36 achieving their immediate, intermediate, and long-term goals.
37 The care plan must also address barriers by directly connecting
38 participants to community resources and opportunities.
39 (2) “Hope Florida partner network” means a group of
40 entities, including state agencies, public-private partnerships,
41 and nonprofit, private-sector, and faith-based organizations,
42 which is actively engaged in Hope Florida and which provides
43 goods or services to directly support the participants’ goals
44 and address identified barriers.
45 (3) “Hope Line” means a statewide toll-free telephone
46 number that serves as a hotline for Hope Florida inquiries and
47 referrals for services.
48 (4) “Hope Navigators” means individuals who coordinate care
49 and assist participants and families seeking services through
50 Hope Florida.
51 (5) “Office” means the Hope Florida Office within the
52 Executive Office of the Governor.
53 (6) “Participant” means an individual who voluntarily
54 participates in Hope Florida.
55 (7) “Participating state agency” means a state agency
56 participating in Hope Florida at the direction of the Executive
57 Office of the Governor.
58 Section 5. Section 23.44, Florida Statutes, is created to
59 read:
60 23.44 Hope Florida Office; eligibility to participate;
61 duties.—
62 (1) The Hope Florida Office is created within the Executive
63 Office of the Governor. The director of the Hope Florida Office
64 is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
65 (2) The office shall:
66 (a) Establish goals and strategies for Hope Florida.
67 (b) Facilitate coordination and collaboration among
68 participating state agencies to achieve these goals.
69 (c) Expand the Hope Florida partner network to meet the
70 needs of participants.
71 (d) Empower and assist residents in need to help identify
72 and achieve immediate, intermediate, and long-term goals and
73 remove barriers to their personal goal achievement through the
74 development and implementation of care plans in partnership with
75 Hope Navigators.
76 (e) Use Hope Navigators to assist participants in
77 identifying personal goals, developing individualized plans for
78 achieving immediate, intermediate, and long-term goals,
79 identifying and addressing barriers, and actively connecting
80 participants to community resources and opportunities to achieve
81 their goals.
82 (f) Use participating state agencies to serve families
83 holistically in achieving self-sufficiency, maximizing community
84 integration, and building a prosperous future. Barriers to self
85 sufficiency may include the inability to:
86 1. Obtain stable employment;
87 2. Increase wages;
88 3. Obtain the necessary skills for greater independence,
89 education, or training;
90 4. Meet basic needs; or
91 5. Find stable housing.
92 (g) Refer participants requiring assistance with employment
93 or vocational training to CareerSource Florida, Inc., and local
94 workforce development boards or other entities to prepare,
95 train, and place the participants in meaningful employment.
96 (3)(a) To participate in Hope Florida, an individual must
97 be:
98 1. A legal resident of this state.
99 2. A citizen of the United States or a permanent resident
100 alien of the United States, as determined by the United States
101 Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
102 3.a. At least 18 years of age;
103 b. If emancipated, at least 16 years of age; or
104 c. If under 18 years of age and not emancipated, authorized
105 to participate by written consent of his or her parent or
106 guardian.
107 (b) Participation in Hope Florida is voluntary.
108 (c) Individuals may receive assistance by calling the Hope
109 Line.
110 (4) The office shall designate a state agency to, at a
111 minimum:
112 (a) Operate the Hope Line, which must be available, at a
113 minimum, during business hours Monday through Friday.
114 (b) Develop and maintain a website for individuals to
115 connect with Hope Florida.
116 (c) Develop and maintain a Hope Florida case management
117 system that, at a minimum, conducts intake for Hope Florida
118 inquiries and makes referrals for individuals and families in
119 need of services.
120 Section 6. Section 23.45, Florida Statutes, is created to
121 read:
122 23.45 Hope Navigators; care plans; Hope Florida partner
123 network; participating state agencies.—
124 (1)(a) Hope Navigators are resources who must be embedded
125 within communities and serve as catalysts and a single point of
126 contact for participants. Hope Navigators shall use participant
127 information to jointly develop and implement care plans and
128 navigate and actively leverage community-based supports and
129 opportunities to create a sustainable network of supports to
130 help participants achieve their goals, overcome barriers, and
131 realize their full potential.
132 (b) A care plan must, at a minimum, include actionable
133 steps and corresponding timelines to address immediate,
134 intermediate, and long-term goals and barriers to achieving such
135 goals to help participants achieve their personal goals.
136 Personal goals may include goals related to barriers to self
137 sufficiency.
138 (2) The Hope Florida partner network shall work to build a
139 network of partnerships to sustain the effectiveness of Hope
140 Florida.
141 (3)(a) State agencies shall participate in Hope Florida at
142 the direction of the Executive Office of the Governor,
143 including, but not limited to, the following agencies:
144 1. The Department of Children and Families.
145 2. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities.
146 3. The Department of Juvenile Justice.
147 4. The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office.
148 5. The Department of Education.
149 6. The Agency for Health Care Administration.
150 7. The Division of Emergency Management.
151 8. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
152 9. The Department of Commerce.
153 10. The Department of Elderly Affairs.
154 (b) In order to use government resources more effectively
155 and efficiently, participating state agencies shall use existing
156 resources and personnel, to the extent possible, to operate Hope
157 Florida.
158 (c) Other public-private partners may also participate in
159 Hope Florida at the direction of the office, including
160 CareerSource Florida, Inc., and the Florida Commission on
161 Community Service.
162 Section 7. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
163
164 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
165 And the title is amended as follows:
166 Delete everything before the enacting clause
167 and insert:
168 A bill to be entitled
169 An act relating to Hope Florida; creating part IV of
170 ch. 23, F.S., entitled “Hope Florida”; creating s.
171 23.41, F.S.; providing a short title; creating s.
172 23.42, F.S.; providing the goals of Hope Florida;
173 creating s. 23.43, F.S.; defining terms; creating s.
174 23.44, F.S.; creating the Hope Florida Office within
175 the Executive Office of the Governor; requiring the
176 Governor to appoint the director of the Hope Florida
177 Office; providing that such director serves at the
178 pleasure of the Governor; providing duties of the
179 office; providing eligibility requirements for Hope
180 Florida participants; specifying that participation in
181 Hope Florida is voluntary; specifying mechanisms by
182 which individuals may receive assistance; requiring
183 the office to designate a state agency to perform
184 certain functions; creating s. 23.45, F.S.; requiring
185 that Hope Navigators be embedded in communities for
186 specified purposes; requiring that care plans include
187 certain steps and timelines; requiring the Hope
188 Florida partner network to work to build a network of
189 partnerships for a specified purpose; requiring
190 specified state agencies to participate in Hope
191 Florida at the direction of the Executive Office of
192 the Governor; authorizing other entities to
193 participate in Hope Florida at the direction of the
194 office; providing an effective date.