Elopement, which means leaving an area without supervision or caregiver permission, is prevalent among persons with certain special needs and may expose them to dangerous situations. Individuals with Alzheimer's disease or autism are two populations at higher risk to elope.

 

The project will be developed and administered by the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of Florida (CARD UF). The bill directs CARD UF to select participants on a first-come, first-serve basis to receive a personal device to aid in search-and-rescue efforts.

 

LAST ACTION: 2/1/16  HOUSE Favorable with CS by Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

CS/SB 132 provides that a direct primary care agreement is not insurance and is not subject to the Florida Insurance Code.

 

Direct primary care is a primary care medical practice model that eliminates third party payers from the primary care provider-patient relationship. Through a contractual agreement, a patient pays a monthly fee, usually between $50 and $100 per individual,to the primary care provider for defined primary care services, which may include:

 

LAST ACTION: 2/1/16 SENATE Favorable with CS by Health Policy.

SB 268 requires periodic revision of a school district's anti-bullying and harassment policy, modifies the information that must be contained in the policy, and requires schools to implement the policy. Among others, the bill adds the requirements that each:

According to the Food Research and Action Center, it is well documented that the SNAP program that delivers monthly benefits through EBT cards (formerly known as the federal Food Stamp Program) is beneficial to the health of children and adults and the well-being of low-income people in the United States by enhancing the food purchasing power of eligible low-income families. However, many venues, especially in low-income communities, do not accept SNAP cards.

SB 284 permits an owner or operator of a market that sells fresh produce to be a Supplemental Nutrition Services Program (SNAP) retailer authorized to establish an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system to accept SNAP payments for the market's produce sellers, to the extent allowed by federal law and regulation. The bill does not require a market owner or operator to operate or maintain an EBT system for its produce sellers. It also does not prohibit an authorized Food Nutrition Service produce seller from operating its own EBT system for its own customers.

 

LAST ACTION:   2/3/16  SENATE  Favorable by Appropriations.

CS/SB 386 amends current law to require the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to retain the criminal history record for only two years after they turn 19 (until age 21), instead of five years (until age 24), for minors who are not classified as serious or habitual juvenile offenders or who have not been committed to a juvenile correctional facility or juvenile prison. The criminal history record is then automatically expunged.

 

The bill also provides that a minor who is eligible for automatic expunction of criminal history records at age 21 may apply for an expunction before turning 21 under certain circumstances.

 

LAST ACTION:  1/28/16 SENATE; Passed.

To address mental health issues in the criminal justice system, Florida has multiple programs, some of which operate on a statewide basis such a state-administered forensic and civil mental health programs.  Others are only available in certain counties or circuits, such as mental health courts and veterans' courts.  CS/CS/HB 439 amends statutes governing these programs by, among others:

CS/HB 563 would require income of undocumented immigrant family members to be included in the calculation of Temporary Cash Assistance Program (TANF) benefits.  Currently, undocumented immigrants are not legally eligible to receive TANF benefits and a family's cash-assistance stipend is pro-rated, so it does not cover the undocumented member.  Including the income from undocumented family members would reduce benefits for 755 families - and save taxpayers - about $240,000.

 

LAST ACTION:  2/2/16  HOUSE  Favorable by Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee.

When the state removes a child from their parent's care and custody due to allegations of abuse, abandonment, or neglect, the child is under the jurisdiction of the state dependency system.  Dependency proceedings are adversarial legal proceedings where the court must decide between the parents' constitutional rights to raise their children free from interference and the State's compelling interest to protect children from neglect or abuse.

 

All parents in dependency proceedings are constitutionally entitled to counsel, and indigent parents are entitled to appointed counsel.  However, no provision in Florida law or rule requires appointment of counsel for dependent children unless the child has certain medical needs. CS/HB 949 attempts to remedy this situation by:

Some studies have indicated a correlation between instruction in fine and performing arts and student achievement in core academic subjects, including reading and math. However, while the number of elementary music classes has increased statewide, some school districts do not have any elementary students enrolled in music courses.

 

HB 1253 establishes the 3-year Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program in the Department of Education to assist selected school districts in implementing comprehensive music education programs for students in kindergarten through grade 2.

 

To be eligible, each school in the district must have established a comprehensive music education program that: