Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1045 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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2		-	~~ENROLLED~~
3		-	CS/CS/HB 1045~~, Engrossed 1~~ 2023 ~~Legislature~~
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7	7		CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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10	10		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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14		-	1
	14	+	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15		An act relating to the Certified Peer Specialist 2
16	16		Gateway Pilot Program; creating the pilot program 3
17	17		within the Department of Corrections; providing 4
18	18		purpose of and requirements for the pilot program; 5
19	19		authorizing inmates at participating facilities to 6
20	20		apply to participate in the pilot program; requiring 7
21	21		the department to develop certain criteria for 8
22	22		selecting qualified applicants; exempting persons who 9
23	23		complete the pilot program's requirements from 10
24	24		specified background screening requirements for peer 11
25	25		specialists; requiring the pilot program to assist 12
26	26		potential employers with acquiring specified bonds; 13
27	27		authorizing the pilot program to offer funding to 14
28	28		potential employers to cover specified costs under 15
29	29		certain circumstances; requiring persons who have 16
30	30		completed the pilot program's requirements to provide 17
31	31		prospective employers with incarceration records; 18
32	32		requiring such persons to receive a signed informed 19
33	33		consent form from any potential clients; providing 20
34	34		requirements for such form; requiring the department 21
35	35		to adopt rules; providing for expiration of the pilot 22
36	36		program; providing an effective date. 23
37	37		24
38	38		Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 25
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40		-	CS/CS/HB 1045~~, Engrossed 1~~ 2023 ~~Legislature~~
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	40	+	CS/CS/HB 1045 2023
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47	47		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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52	52		Section 1. The Certified Peer Specialist Gateway Pilot 27
53	53		Program is created within the Department of Corrections. The 28
54	54		purpose of the pilot program is to provide participating inmates 29
55	55		with a path to becoming certified peer specialists under s. 30
56	56		397.417, Florida Statut es, upon release by offering such inmates 31
57	57		while incarcerated the necessary training hours and experience 32
58	58		needed for certification and to assist inmates who complete the 33
59	59		pilot program's requirements with post -incarceration employment. 34
60	60		(1) The pilot progra m shall: 35
61	61		(a) Recruit and enroll inmates who have completed certain 36
62	62		treatment programs while incarcerated into certified peer 37
63	63		specialist training programs approved under s. 397.417, Florida 38
64	64		Statutes. 39
65	65		(b) Provide core educational training and on -the-job work 40
66	66		experience during each participant's incarceration which meets 41
67	67		all of the requirements for peer specialist certification. 42
68	68		(c) Assist participants with completing any examinations 43
69		-	required to become a certified peer specialist under s. 397.~~417~~, 44
	69	+	required to become a certified peer specialist under s. 397.147, 44
70	70		Florida Statutes. 45
71	71		(d) Assist in placing participants in employment as 46
72	72		certified peer specialist professionals upon their release. 47
73	73		(2) Inmates at participating facilities may apply to 48
74	74		participate in the pilot program. The Department of Corrections 49
75	75		shall develop criteria for selecting qualified applicants for 50
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77		-	CS/CS/HB 1045~~, Engrossed 1~~ 2023 ~~Legislature~~
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84	84		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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88	88		the pilot program including, but not limited to, requiring that 51
89	89		applicants: 52
90	90		(a) Have the appropriate custody classification. 53
91	91		(b) Meet certain discipline criteria. 54
92	92		(c) Have an expected release date w ithin a specified 55
93	93		timeframe. 56
94	94		(d) Be housed at the facility providing training. 57
95	95		(e) Have served as a positive role model during their 58
96	96		incarceration. 59
97	97		(f) Express a desire to work in the behavioral health 60
98	98		treatment field after release. 61
99	99		(g) Not have been found guilty of, regardless of 62
100	100		adjudication, or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, 63
101	101		or have been adjudicated delinquent and the record has not been 64
102	102		sealed or expunged for, any offense that would prohibit them 65
103	103		from becoming a certified peer specialist under s. 66
104	104		397.417(4)(e), Florida Statutes. 67
105	105		(3) A person who completes the pilot program's 68
106	106		requirements is exempt from the background screening 69
107	107		requirements for peer specialists under s. 397.417(4)(a) –(d), 70
108	108		Florida Statutes. 71
109	109		(4) In assisting persons who have completed the pilot 72
110	110		program's requirements with post -incarceration employment, the 73
111	111		pilot program: 74
112	112		(a) Shall assist potential employers with acquiring bonds 75
113		-	~~ENROLLED~~
114		-	CS/CS/HB 1045~~, Engrossed 1~~ 2023 ~~Legislature~~
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125	125		from the United States Department of Labor's Federal Bonding 76
126	126		Program, if applicabl e. 77
127	127		(b) May offer funding to a potential employer to cover the 78
128	128		initial costs of hiring and retaining such persons, if the pilot 79
129	129		program secures applicable grant funds for such purpose. 80
130	130		(5) After a person who has completed the pilot program's 81
131	131		requirements has been released, he or she must provide each 82
132	132		prospective employer with a copy of his or her incarceration 83
133	133		record before the employer may hire the person. The person must 84
134	134		also receive a signed informed consent form from any potential 85
135	135		client seeking treatment from him or her. Such consent form must 86
136	136		specify that the person has completed the pilot program's 87
137	137		requirements and is certified as a peer specialist under s. 88
138	138		397.417, Florida Statutes. 89
139	139		(6) The Department of Corrections shall adopt rules to 90
140	140		implement this act. 91
141	141		(7) The pilot program expires June 30, 2026. 92
142	142		Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 93