Bill > S1486

Introduced Session

An act relating to permanency for children; amending s. 39.01, F.S.; defining the term “visitor”; amending s. 39.0138, F.S.; renaming the “State Automated Child Welfare Information System” as the “Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System”; requiring the Department of Children and Families to conduct a criminal history records check of certain persons; defining the term “emergency placement”; requiring certain persons to submit their fingerprints to the department or specified entities; requiring the department or entities to submit such fingerprints to the Department of Law Enforcement for state processing within a specified timeframe; requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to forward such fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation within a specified timeframe; requiring that a child be immediately removed from a home if certain persons fail to provide their fingerprints and are not otherwise exempt from a criminal history records check; creating s. 39.5035, F.S.; authorizing specified persons to initiate a proceeding if both parents of a child are deceased or the last known living parent is deceased and a legal custodian has not been appointed for the child through a probate or guardianship proceeding; providing requirements for filing a petition for adjudication and permanent commitment of a child if the child has been placed in shelter by order of the court and has not been adjudicated; authorizing an attorney to file a petition for adjudication and permanent commitment within a reasonable time after the petitioner becomes aware of certain facts; providing requirements for the petition; requiring the clerk of court to set the case before the court for an adjudicatory hearing within a specified timeframe; providing that notice of the adjudicatory hearing and a copy of the petition be served on specified persons; providing for adjudicator hearings; amending s. 39.521, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 39.522, F.S.; authorizing certain persons to remove a child from a court-ordered placement under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Children and Families to file a specified motion, and the court to set a hearing, within specified timeframes under certain circumstances; requiring a certain determination by the court to support immediate removal of a child; authorizing the court to base its determination on certain evidence; requiring the court to enter certain orders and conduct certain hearings under certain circumstances; amending s. 39.6221, F.S.; revising a requisite condition for placing a child in a permanent guardianship; amending s. 39.6225, F.S.; revising eligibility for payments under the Guardianship Assistance Program; amending s. 39.801, F.S.; providing that service of process is not necessary under certain circumstances; amending s. 39.812, F.S.; authorizing the court to review the department’s denial of an application to adopt a child; providing requirements for the reviewability of the department’s decision to deny an application to adopt a child; requiring the department to file written notification of its denial with the court and provide copies to certain persons within a specified timeframe; authorizing a denied applicant to file a motion to review such denial within a specified timeframe; providing requirements for the motion to review; providing requirements for a denied applicant’s standing; requiring the court to hold a hearing within a specified timeframe; providing requirements for the hearing; providing for a standard of review; authorizing certain persons to participate in the hearing under certain circumstances; requiring the court to enter an order within a specified timeframe; revising exceptions that authorize the department to remove a child from his or her foster home or custodian; requiring the department or its contracted child-placing agency to conduct certain postadoption duties; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 63.032, F.S.; revising a definition; amending s. 63.039, F.S; requiring licensed adoption entities to report specified information relating to private adoptions to the department on a quarterly basis; authorizing the department to adopt rules; requiring the department to make certain information available in a specified form on its website; amending s. 63.062, F.S.; requiring the department take certain action if the minor has been permanently committed to the department for subsequent adoption; amending s. 63.093, F.S.; requiring the department to contract with one or more child-placing agencies to provide certain adoption services beginning on a specified date; authorizing the department to authorize such agency to subcontract with other entities to provide certain duties; requiring that an adoptive home study be updated every 12 months after the date on which the first study was approved; authorizing the updated placement or licensed home study to serve as the adoption home study if a child was placed before the termination of parental rights; requiring the department to adopt certain rules; requiring the department to submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature by a specified date; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 63.097, F.S.; making technical changes; requiring the court to issue a certain order when the total of certain amounts exceeds those specified; revising the prohibition of a specified fee; requiring an adoption entity to report specified information for each finalized adoption to the department on a quarterly basis beginning on a specified date; requiring the adoption entity to redact certain information concerning the child’s biological parents and the child’s adoptive parents; requiring the department to report on its website certain information, including the actual fees, costs, and expenses of finalized adoptions, on a quarterly basis; providing construction; requiring the department to adopt rules; amending s. 63.132, F.S.; requiring that a court order approving fees, costs, or expenses that exceed a certain amount include a certain determination; making a technical change; amending s. 63.212, F.S.; providing applicability for the prohibition against the advertisement of the adoption of a minor child except by certain persons; requiring a person who publishes a newspaper, magazine, billboard, or any other written advertisement distributed in this state to include a statement that only specified licensed adoption entities may legally provide adoption services; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 409.1451, F.S.; revising the age requirements for receiving postsecondary education services and support; revising requirements for receiving aftercare services; amending s. 409.166, F.S.; revising age requirements for receiving adoption assistance; repealing s. 409.1662, F.S., relating to children within the child welfare system and the adoption incentive program; amending s. 409.1664, F.S.; defining terms; providing certain adoption benefits to health care practitioners, tax collector employees, and law enforcement officers; specifying requirements for such persons to apply for such benefits; increasing the amount of monetary adoption benefits certain persons are eligible to receive; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 409.167, F.S.; revising requirements for the statewide adoption exchange and its photo listing component; authorizing only certain persons to access such photo listing component; requiring consultation with children of a certain age during development of their description; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 409.988, F.S.; revising the list of children a community-based care lead agency must serve; providing effective dates.

Committee Categories

Jay Collins (R)*, 

Other Sponsors (2)

Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/CS/HB 1083 (on 03/05/2024)

Official Document