Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 1144
By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability;
and Senator Burgess
585-03145-25 20251144c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to Hope Florida; creating part IV of
3 ch. 23, F.S., entitled “Hope Florida”; creating s.
4 23.41, F.S.; providing a short title; creating s.
5 23.42, F.S.; providing the goals of Hope Florida;
6 creating s. 23.43, F.S.; defining terms; creating s.
7 23.44, F.S.; creating the Hope Florida Office within
8 the Executive Office of the Governor; requiring the
9 Governor to appoint the director of the Hope Florida
10 Office; providing that such director serves at the
11 pleasure of the Governor; providing duties of the
12 office; providing eligibility requirements for Hope
13 Florida participants; specifying that participation in
14 Hope Florida is voluntary; specifying mechanisms by
15 which individuals may receive assistance; requiring
16 the office to designate a state agency to perform
17 certain functions; creating s. 23.45, F.S.; requiring
18 that Hope Navigators be embedded in communities for
19 specified purposes; requiring that care plans include
20 certain steps and timelines; requiring the Hope
21 Florida partner network to work to build a network of
22 partnerships for a specified purpose; requiring
23 specified state agencies to participate in Hope
24 Florida at the direction of the Executive Office of
25 the Governor; authorizing other entities to
26 participate in Hope Florida at the direction of the
27 office; providing an effective date.
28
29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
30
31 Section 1. Part IV of chapter 23, Florida Statutes,
32 consisting of ss. 23.41, 23.42, 23.43, 23.44, and 23.45, is
33 created and entitled “Hope Florida.”
34 Section 2. Section 23.41, Florida Statutes, is created to
35 read:
36 23.41 Short title.—This part may be cited as the “Hope
37 Florida Act.”
38 Section 3. Section 23.42, Florida Statutes, is created to
39 read:
40 23.42 Hope Florida goals.—The goals of Hope Florida are to:
41 (1) Streamline access to support, services, and assistance
42 so that residents in need can reach their full potential within
43 their local communities and to holistically coordinate care
44 through Hope Navigators.
45 (2) Facilitate alignment and coordination of participating
46 state agencies.
47 (3) Break down traditional silos and establish a seamless
48 network of support systems, managed through one centralized
49 system comprised of private businesses, nonprofit entities,
50 state agencies, and faith-based organizations, to effectively
51 achieve desired outcomes and sustain long-term results including
52 greater self-sufficiency, community integration, and the
53 reduction of the participant’s sole reliance on government
54 programs.
55 Section 4. Section 23.43, Florida Statutes, is created to
56 read:
57 23.43 Definitions.—As used in this part, the term:
58 (1) “Care plan” means a written document that contains
59 information provided by Hope Florida to its participants for
60 whom Hope Florida has developed and customized actionable steps
61 and corresponding timelines to assist the participants in
62 achieving their immediate, intermediate, and long-term goals.
63 The care plan must also address barriers by directly connecting
64 participants to community resources and opportunities.
65 (2) “Hope Florida partner network” means a group of
66 entities, including state agencies, public-private partnerships,
67 and nonprofit, private-sector, and faith-based organizations,
68 which is actively engaged in Hope Florida and which provides
69 goods or services to directly support the participants’ goals
70 and address identified barriers.
71 (3) “Hope Line” means a statewide toll-free telephone
72 number that serves as a hotline for Hope Florida inquiries and
73 referrals for services.
74 (4) “Hope Navigators” means individuals who coordinate care
75 and assist participants and families seeking services through
76 Hope Florida.
77 (5) “Office” means the Hope Florida Office within the
78 Executive Office of the Governor.
79 (6) “Participant” means an individual who voluntarily
80 participates in Hope Florida.
81 (7) “Participating state agency” means a state agency
82 participating in Hope Florida at the direction of the Executive
83 Office of the Governor.
84 Section 5. Section 23.44, Florida Statutes, is created to
85 read:
86 23.44 Hope Florida Office; eligibility to participate;
87 duties.—
88 (1) The Hope Florida Office is created within the Executive
89 Office of the Governor. The director of the Hope Florida Office
90 is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
91 (2) The office shall:
92 (a) Establish goals and strategies for Hope Florida.
93 (b) Facilitate coordination and collaboration among
94 participating state agencies to achieve these goals.
95 (c) Expand the Hope Florida partner network to meet the
96 needs of participants.
97 (d) Empower and assist residents in need to help identify
98 and achieve immediate, intermediate, and long-term goals and
99 remove barriers to their personal goal achievement through the
100 development and implementation of care plans in partnership with
101 Hope Navigators.
102 (e) Use Hope Navigators to assist participants in
103 identifying personal goals, developing individualized plans for
104 achieving immediate, intermediate, and long-term goals,
105 identifying and addressing barriers, and actively connecting
106 participants to community resources and opportunities to achieve
107 their goals.
108 (f) Use participating state agencies to serve families
109 holistically in achieving self-sufficiency, maximizing community
110 integration, and building a prosperous future. Barriers to self
111 sufficiency may include the inability to:
112 1. Obtain stable employment;
113 2. Increase wages;
114 3. Obtain the necessary skills for greater independence,
115 education, or training;
116 4. Meet basic needs; or
117 5. Find stable housing.
118 (g) Refer participants requiring assistance with employment
119 or vocational training to CareerSource Florida, Inc., and local
120 workforce development boards or other entities to prepare,
121 train, and place the participants in meaningful employment.
122 (3)(a) To participate in Hope Florida, an individual must
123 be:
124 1. A legal resident of this state.
125 2. A citizen of the United States or a permanent resident
126 alien of the United States, as determined by the United States
127 Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
128 3.a. At least 18 years of age;
129 b. If emancipated, at least 16 years of age; or
130 c. If under 18 years of age and not emancipated, authorized
131 to participate by written consent of his or her parent or
132 guardian.
133 (b) Participation in Hope Florida is voluntary.
134 (c) Individuals may receive assistance by calling the Hope
135 Line.
136 (4) The office shall designate a state agency to, at a
137 minimum:
138 (a) Operate the Hope Line, which must be available, at a
139 minimum, during business hours Monday through Friday.
140 (b) Develop and maintain a website for individuals to
141 connect with Hope Florida.
142 (c) Develop and maintain a Hope Florida case management
143 system that, at a minimum, conducts intake for Hope Florida
144 inquiries and makes referrals for individuals and families in
145 need of services.
146 Section 6. Section 23.45, Florida Statutes, is created to
147 read:
148 23.45 Hope Navigators; care plans; Hope Florida partner
149 network; participating state agencies.—
150 (1)(a) Hope Navigators are resources who must be embedded
151 within communities and serve as catalysts and a single point of
152 contact for participants. Hope Navigators shall use participant
153 information to jointly develop and implement care plans and
154 navigate and actively leverage community-based supports and
155 opportunities to create a sustainable network of supports to
156 help participants achieve their goals, overcome barriers, and
157 realize their full potential.
158 (b) A care plan must, at a minimum, include actionable
159 steps and corresponding timelines to address immediate,
160 intermediate, and long-term goals and barriers to achieving such
161 goals to help participants achieve their personal goals.
162 Personal goals may include goals related to barriers to self
163 sufficiency.
164 (2) The Hope Florida partner network shall work to build a
165 network of partnerships to sustain the effectiveness of Hope
166 Florida.
167 (3)(a) State agencies shall participate in Hope Florida at
168 the direction of the Executive Office of the Governor,
169 including, but not limited to, the following agencies:
170 1. The Department of Children and Families.
171 2. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities.
172 3. The Department of Juvenile Justice.
173 4. The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office.
174 5. The Department of Education.
175 6. The Agency for Health Care Administration.
176 7. The Division of Emergency Management.
177 8. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
178 9. The Department of Commerce.
179 10. The Department of Elderly Affairs.
180 (b) In order to use government resources more effectively
181 and efficiently, participating state agencies shall use existing
182 resources and personnel, to the extent possible, to operate Hope
183 Florida.
184 (c) Other public-private partners may also participate in
185 Hope Florida at the direction of the office, including
186 CareerSource Florida, Inc., and the Florida Commission on
187 Community Service.
188 Section 7. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.