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| 9 | 9 | | Page 1 of 11 |
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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 | 14 | | A bill to be entitled 1 |
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| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to the independent living housing 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | grant; amending s. 409.1451, F.S.; creating the 3 |
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| 17 | 17 | | independent living housing grant for a specified 4 |
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| 18 | 18 | | purpose; providing definitions; providing eligibility 5 |
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| 19 | 19 | | requirements; requiring a community -based care lead 6 |
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| 20 | 20 | | agency to calculate the amount of financial assistance 7 |
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| 21 | 21 | | based on certain factors; requiring a community -based 8 |
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| 22 | 22 | | care lead agency to enter into formal agreements with 9 |
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| 23 | 23 | | eligible young adults; providing requirements for such 10 |
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| 24 | 24 | | agreement; requiring a community -based care lead 11 |
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| 25 | 25 | | agency to terminate an agreement under certain 12 |
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| 26 | 26 | | circumstances; requiring specified notice be given to 13 |
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| 27 | 27 | | a young adult before an agreement is terminated; 14 |
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| 28 | 28 | | specifying the circumstances under which a community -15 |
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| 29 | 29 | | based care lead agency can enter into a subse quent 16 |
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| 30 | 30 | | agreement; providing the duties of a community -based 17 |
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| 31 | 31 | | care lead agency; prohibiting a community -based care 18 |
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| 32 | 32 | | lead agency from charging a fee for certain services; 19 |
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| 33 | 33 | | requiring the Department of Children and Families to 20 |
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| 34 | 34 | | advertise the independent living hous ing grant and 21 |
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| 35 | 35 | | provide relevant information to certain person; 22 |
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| 36 | 36 | | amending s. 39.6035, F.S.; conforming provisions to 23 |
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| 37 | 37 | | changes made by the act; amending ss. 409.1455 and 24 |
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| 38 | 38 | | 420.0004, F.S.; conforming cross -references; providing 25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | Page 2 of 11 |
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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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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | an effective date. 26 |
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| 52 | 52 | | 27 |
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| 53 | 53 | | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 28 |
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| 54 | 54 | | 29 |
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| 55 | 55 | | Section 1. Subsections (4) through (12) of section 30 |
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| 56 | 56 | | 409.1451, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5) 31 |
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| 57 | 57 | | through (13), respectively, present subsections (9) and (11) are 32 |
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| 58 | 58 | | amended, and a new subsecti on (4) is added to that section, to 33 |
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| 59 | 59 | | read: 34 |
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| 60 | 60 | | 409.1451 The Road-to-Independence Program. — 35 |
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| 61 | 61 | | (4) INDEPENDENT LIVING HOUSING GRANT. —The independent 36 |
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| 62 | 62 | | living housing grant is established to assist eligible young 37 |
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| 63 | 63 | | adults aging out of foster care afford rent for res idential 38 |
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| 64 | 64 | | housing. The purpose of this grant is to help eligible young 39 |
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| 65 | 65 | | adults successfully transition into independent living. 40 |
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| 66 | 66 | | (a) As used in this subsection, the term: 41 |
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| 67 | 67 | | 1. "Dwelling unit" means a structure or part of a 42 |
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| 68 | 68 | | structure that meets the criteria for affordable housing in s. 43 |
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| 69 | 69 | | 420.602(3) and is rented for use as a home, residence, or 44 |
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| 70 | 70 | | sleeping place. 45 |
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| 71 | 71 | | 2. "Fair market rent" means periodic payments due to a 46 |
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| 72 | 72 | | landlord from a tenant for occupancy of a dwelling unit that is 47 |
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| 73 | 73 | | based on the fair market rental rate for a dwelling unit that 48 |
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| 74 | 74 | | meets the criteria for affordable housing in s. 420.602(3). 49 |
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| 75 | 75 | | 3. "Income" means money received at periodic intervals 50 |
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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 | | from any source, including, but not limited to, wages or other 51 |
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| 89 | 89 | | renumeration from an employer. 52 |
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| 90 | 90 | | 4. "Personal contribution" means the share, calculated as 53 |
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| 91 | 91 | | a percentage, of an eligible young adult's income that he or she 54 |
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| 92 | 92 | | contributes toward the rental of a dwelling unit. 55 |
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| 93 | 93 | | (b) A young adult is eligible for financial assistance 56 |
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| 94 | 94 | | under this subsection if he or she: 57 |
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| 95 | 95 | | 1. Has reached 18 years of age but is not yet 22 years of 58 |
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| 96 | 96 | | age or, in the case of a young adult who has a diagnosed 59 |
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| 97 | 97 | | disability, is not yet 25 years of age. 60 |
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| 98 | 98 | | 2. Was living in licensed care on his or her 18th 61 |
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| 99 | 99 | | birthday. 62 |
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| 100 | 100 | | 3. Is not in extended foster care unde r s. 39.6251. 63 |
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| 101 | 101 | | 4. Resides in this state. 64 |
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| 102 | 102 | | 5. Applied for federal, state, or local financial 65 |
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| 103 | 103 | | assistance for housing and was accepted for such financial 66 |
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| 104 | 104 | | assistance, was placed on a waitlist for such assistance, or has 67 |
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| 105 | 105 | | not been notified of his or her acceptance or denial for 68 |
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| 106 | 106 | | financial assistance within 30 days after the submission of an 69 |
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| 107 | 107 | | application. 70 |
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| 108 | 108 | | 6. Completed the financial literacy curriculum offered by 71 |
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| 109 | 109 | | the Department of Financial Services for young adults or 72 |
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| 110 | 110 | | individuals with a diagnosed disabilit y, as applicable. 73 |
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| 111 | 111 | | 7. Provides documentation to the department or community -74 |
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| 112 | 112 | | based care lead agency that the young adult is: 75 |
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| 121 | 121 | | 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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| 125 | 125 | | a. Progressing toward a secondary education credential or 76 |
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| 126 | 126 | | a vocational education credential; 77 |
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| 127 | 127 | | b. Participating in a program or a ctivity designed to 78 |
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| 128 | 128 | | promote or eliminate barriers to employment; 79 |
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| 129 | 129 | | c. Employed for at least 80 hours per month; or 80 |
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| 130 | 130 | | d. Unable to participate in an activity listed in sub -81 |
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| 131 | 131 | | subparagraphs a.-c. due to a diagnosed physical, intellectual, 82 |
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| 132 | 132 | | emotional, or psychiat ric condition that limits his or her 83 |
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| 133 | 133 | | participation. 84 |
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| 134 | 134 | | (c) The community-based care lead agency shall calculate 85 |
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| 135 | 135 | | the amount of financial assistance available to an eligible 86 |
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| 136 | 136 | | young adult. In calculating the amount of financial assistance 87 |
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| 137 | 137 | | available under this s ubsection, the community -based care lead 88 |
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| 138 | 138 | | agency must: 89 |
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| 139 | 139 | | 1. Establish the young adult's monthly personal 90 |
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| 140 | 140 | | contribution to the fair market rent in an amount equal to 33 91 |
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| 141 | 141 | | percent of his or her monthly income. 92 |
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| 142 | 142 | | 2. After calculating the young adult's personal 93 |
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| 143 | 143 | | contribution, determine the amount of the demonstrated unmet 94 |
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| 144 | 144 | | need, after applying any federal, state, or local financial 95 |
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| 145 | 145 | | assistance for housing, necessary to cover at least 100 percent, 96 |
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| 146 | 146 | | but no more than 115 percent, of the fair market rent for the 97 |
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| 147 | 147 | | dwelling unit. 98 |
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| 148 | 148 | | (d) The community-based care lead agency shall enter into 99 |
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| 149 | 149 | | a formal agreement with the young adult for financial assistance 100 |
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| 158 | 158 | | 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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| 162 | 162 | | under this subsection. The agreement must do all of the 101 |
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| 163 | 163 | | following: 102 |
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| 164 | 164 | | 1. State the amount of financial assistance determined 103 |
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| 165 | 165 | | under paragraph (c). 104 |
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| 166 | 166 | | 2. Require the young adult to agree to pay rent and 105 |
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| 167 | 167 | | provide proof of each month's rent payment to the community -106 |
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| 168 | 168 | | based care lead agency. 107 |
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| 169 | 169 | | 3. Require the community -based care lead agency to create 108 |
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| 170 | 170 | | a financial plan with the young adult a s part of his or her 109 |
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| 171 | 171 | | transition plan required under s. 39.6035. 110 |
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| 172 | 172 | | (e)1. The community -based care lead agency shall terminate 111 |
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| 173 | 173 | | the formal agreement with the young adult if he or she is no 112 |
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| 174 | 174 | | longer eligible for financial assistance under this subsection 113 |
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| 175 | 175 | | or fails to comply with the terms of the agreement. Before 114 |
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| 176 | 176 | | termination of an agreement, the community -based care lead 115 |
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| 177 | 177 | | agency must notify the young adult by certified mail, return 116 |
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| 178 | 178 | | receipt requested, that his or her agreement is to be terminated 117 |
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| 179 | 179 | | and inform the young adult of his or her right to appeal such 118 |
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| 180 | 180 | | termination. 119 |
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| 181 | 181 | | 2. If the community -based care lead agency terminates a 120 |
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| 182 | 182 | | formal agreement because the young adult is no longer eligible 121 |
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| 183 | 183 | | for financial assistance, the community -based care lead agency 122 |
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| 184 | 184 | | may enter into a subsequent agreement with the young adult at a 123 |
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| 185 | 185 | | later date when he or she is eligible again. 124 |
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| 186 | 186 | | 3. If the community -based care lead agency terminates a 125 |
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| 195 | 195 | | 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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| 199 | 199 | | formal agreement because the young adult fails to comply with 126 |
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| 200 | 200 | | the terms of the agreement, the community -based care lead agency 127 |
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| 201 | 201 | | may not enter into a subsequent agreement with the young adult 128 |
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| 202 | 202 | | for financial assistance under this subsection. 129 |
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| 203 | 203 | | (f) The community-based care lead agency must do all of 130 |
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| 204 | 204 | | the following: 131 |
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| 205 | 205 | | 1. Notify the department when the lead agency ex ecutes a 132 |
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| 206 | 206 | | formal agreement with an eligible young adult for financial 133 |
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| 207 | 207 | | assistance under this subsection. 134 |
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| 208 | 208 | | 2. Disburse, in the manner specified in the formal 135 |
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| 209 | 209 | | agreement, to the young adult the monthly amount for rent. 136 |
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| 210 | 210 | | 3. Notify the department if the communi ty-based care lead 137 |
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| 211 | 211 | | agency terminates a formal agreement for financial assistance 138 |
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| 212 | 212 | | under this subsection. 139 |
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| 213 | 213 | | 4. Review, and update if necessary, the young adult's 140 |
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| 214 | 214 | | financial plan with him or her every 6 months until the young 141 |
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| 215 | 215 | | adult is no longer receiving finan cial assistance under this 142 |
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| 216 | 216 | | subsection. 143 |
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| 217 | 217 | | (g) A community-based care lead agency may not charge a 144 |
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| 218 | 218 | | fee for the administration of financial assistance under this 145 |
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| 219 | 219 | | subsection. 146 |
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| 220 | 220 | | (h) The department must do both of the following: 147 |
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| 221 | 221 | | 1. Disburse to the community -based care lead agency the 148 |
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| 222 | 222 | | full amount of financial assistance as stated in the formal 149 |
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| 223 | 223 | | agreement within 10 days after the lead agency notifies the 150 |
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| 232 | 232 | | 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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| 233 | 233 | | |
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| 234 | 234 | | |
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| 235 | 235 | | |
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| 236 | 236 | | department of the agreement. 151 |
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| 237 | 237 | | 2. Advertise the availability of the independent living 152 |
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| 238 | 238 | | housing grant and provid e relevant information, such as 153 |
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| 239 | 239 | | eligibility criteria and application procedures, to children and 154 |
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| 240 | 240 | | young adults who are leaving, or were formerly in, foster care; 155 |
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| 241 | 241 | | caregivers; case managers; guidance and family services 156 |
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| 242 | 242 | | counselors; principals or other relevan t school administrators; 157 |
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| 243 | 243 | | and guardians ad litem. 158 |
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| 244 | 244 | | (10)(9) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR YOUNG ADULTS RECEIVING 159 |
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| 245 | 245 | | SERVICES.—Financial awards to young adults receiving services 160 |
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| 246 | 246 | | under subsections (2) , and (3), and (4) and s. 39.6251 may be 161 |
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| 247 | 247 | | disregarded for purposes of determining the eligibility for, or 162 |
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| 248 | 248 | | the amount of, any other federal or federally supported 163 |
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| 249 | 249 | | assistance for which the department is required to determine 164 |
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| 250 | 250 | | eligibility for the program. 165 |
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| 251 | 251 | | (12)(11) FUNDING DURING EMERGENCY.—Notwithstanding the 166 |
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| 252 | 252 | | eligibility criteria in subsections (2) , and (3), and (4), the 167 |
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| 253 | 253 | | department may distribute federal funds to all young adults 168 |
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| 254 | 254 | | deemed eligible by the funding source in the event of a state or 169 |
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| 255 | 255 | | national emergency. 170 |
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| 256 | 256 | | Section 2. Subsections (1) and (5) of section 39.6035, 171 |
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| 257 | 257 | | Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 172 |
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| 258 | 258 | | 39.6035 Transition plan. — 173 |
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| 259 | 259 | | (1) During the year after a child reaches 16 years of age, 174 |
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| 260 | 260 | | the department and the community -based care lead agency, in 175 |
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| 269 | 269 | | 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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| 271 | 271 | | |
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| 272 | 272 | | |
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| 273 | 273 | | collaboration with the c aregiver and any other individual whom 176 |
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| 274 | 274 | | the child would like to include, shall assist the child in 177 |
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| 275 | 275 | | developing a transition plan. The required transition plan is in 178 |
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| 276 | 276 | | addition to standard case management requirements. The 179 |
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| 277 | 277 | | transition plan must address specific options for the child to 180 |
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| 278 | 278 | | use in obtaining services, including housing, health insurance, 181 |
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| 279 | 279 | | education, financial literacy, a driver license, and workforce 182 |
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| 280 | 280 | | support and employment services. The plan must also include 183 |
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| 281 | 281 | | tasks to establish and maintain naturally oc curring mentoring 184 |
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| 282 | 282 | | relationships and other personal support services. The 185 |
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| 283 | 283 | | transition plan may be as detailed as the child chooses. This 186 |
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| 284 | 284 | | plan must be updated as needed before the child reaches 18 years 187 |
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| 285 | 285 | | of age and after the child reaches 18 years of age if he or she 188 |
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| 286 | 286 | | is receiving funding under s. 409.1451(2) or (4). In developing 189 |
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| 287 | 287 | | and updating the transition plan, the department and the 190 |
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| 288 | 288 | | community-based care lead agency shall: 191 |
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| 289 | 289 | | (a) Provide the child with the documentation required 192 |
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| 290 | 290 | | under s. 39.701(3). 193 |
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| 291 | 291 | | (b) Coordinate the transition plan with the independent 194 |
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| 292 | 292 | | living provisions in the case plan and, for a child with 195 |
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| 293 | 293 | | disabilities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 196 |
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| 294 | 294 | | transition plan. 197 |
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| 295 | 295 | | (c) Provide information for the financial literacy 198 |
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| 296 | 296 | | curriculum for youth offered by the Department of Financial 199 |
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| 297 | 297 | | Services. 200 |
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| 306 | 306 | | 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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| 308 | 308 | | |
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| 309 | 309 | | |
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| 310 | 310 | | (d) Provide information about independent living services 201 |
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| 311 | 311 | | and programs which is tailored to the individual needs and plans 202 |
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| 312 | 312 | | of the child, including, at a minimum, the specific benefits of 203 |
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| 313 | 313 | | each program and how such benefits meet the needs and plans of 204 |
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| 314 | 314 | | the child, the advantages and disadvantages of participation in 205 |
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| 315 | 315 | | each program considering the needs and plans of the child, and 206 |
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| 316 | 316 | | the financial value of each program to the child. The community -207 |
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| 317 | 317 | | based care lead agency shall discuss this information with the 208 |
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| 318 | 318 | | child, and the child must sign a document indicating that he or 209 |
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| 319 | 319 | | she: 210 |
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| 320 | 320 | | 1. Received such information. 211 |
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| 321 | 321 | | 2. Discussed such information with the community -based 212 |
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| 322 | 322 | | care lead agency representative. 213 |
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| 323 | 323 | | 3. Understands how such services and benefits would meet 214 |
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| 324 | 324 | | his or her individual needs. 215 |
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| 325 | 325 | | 4. Understands how such services would assist him or her 216 |
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| 326 | 326 | | in accomplishing future plans. 217 |
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| 327 | 327 | | (5) The department or community -based care lead agency 218 |
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| 328 | 328 | | shall continue to periodically meet with a young adult to review 219 |
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| 329 | 329 | | and, if necessary, update the transition plan beyond his or her 220 |
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| 330 | 330 | | 18th birthday if the young adult receives funding under s. 221 |
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| 331 | 331 | | 409.1451(2) or (4). 222 |
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| 332 | 332 | | Section 3. Subsection (11) of section 409.1455, Florida 223 |
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| 333 | 333 | | Statutes, is amended to read: 224 |
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| 334 | 334 | | 409.1455 Step into Success Workforce Education and 225 |
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| 343 | 343 | | 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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| 347 | 347 | | Internship Pilot Program for foster youth and former foster 226 |
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| 348 | 348 | | youth.— 227 |
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| 349 | 349 | | (11) REPORT.—The department shall include a section on the 228 |
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| 350 | 350 | | Step into Success Workforce Education and Internship Pilot 229 |
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| 351 | 351 | | Program in the independent living annual report prepared 230 |
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| 352 | 352 | | pursuant to s. 409.1451(7) s. 409.1451(6) which includes, but is 231 |
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| 353 | 353 | | not limited to, all of the following: 232 |
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| 354 | 354 | | (a) Whether the pilot program is in compliance with this 233 |
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| 355 | 355 | | section, and if not, barriers to compliance. 234 |
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| 356 | 356 | | (b) A list of participating organizations and the number 235 |
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| 357 | 357 | | of interns. 236 |
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| 358 | 358 | | (c) A summary of recruitment efforts to increase the 237 |
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| 359 | 359 | | number of participating organizations. 238 |
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| 360 | 360 | | (d) A summary of the feedback and surveys received 239 |
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| 361 | 361 | | pursuant to paragraph (6)(h) from participati ng former foster 240 |
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| 362 | 362 | | youth, mentors, and others who have participated in the pilot 241 |
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| 363 | 363 | | program. 242 |
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| 364 | 364 | | (e) Recommendations, if any, for actions necessary to 243 |
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| 365 | 365 | | improve the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of the pilot 244 |
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| 366 | 366 | | program. 245 |
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| 367 | 367 | | (f) Employment outcomes of former foste r youth who 246 |
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| 368 | 368 | | participated in the pilot program, including employment status 247 |
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| 369 | 369 | | after completion of the program, whether he or she is employed 248 |
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| 370 | 370 | | by the participating organization in which he or she interned or 249 |
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| 371 | 371 | | by another entity, and job description and salary inf ormation, 250 |
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| 372 | 372 | | |
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| 373 | 373 | | HB 539 2025 |
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| 374 | 374 | | |
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| 375 | 375 | | |
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| 376 | 376 | | |
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| 377 | 377 | | CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. |
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| 378 | 378 | | hb539-00 |
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| 379 | 379 | | Page 11 of 11 |
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| 380 | 380 | | 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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| 381 | 381 | | |
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| 382 | 382 | | |
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| 383 | 383 | | |
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| 384 | 384 | | if available. 251 |
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| 385 | 385 | | Section 4. Subsection (13) of section 420.0004, Florida 252 |
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| 386 | 386 | | Statutes, is amended to read: 253 |
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| 387 | 387 | | 420.0004 Definitions. —As used in this part, unless the 254 |
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| 388 | 388 | | context otherwise indicates: 255 |
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| 389 | 389 | | (13) "Person with special needs" means an adult person 256 |
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| 390 | 390 | | requiring independent living services in order to maintain 257 |
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| 391 | 391 | | housing or develop independent living skills and who has a 258 |
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| 392 | 392 | | disabling condition; a young adult formerly in foster care who 259 |
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| 393 | 393 | | is eligible for services under s. 409.1451 s. 409.1451(5); a 260 |
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| 394 | 394 | | survivor of domestic violence as defined in s. 741.28; or a 261 |
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| 395 | 395 | | person receiving benefits under the Social Security Disability 262 |
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| 396 | 396 | | Insurance (SSDI) program or the Supplemental Security Income 263 |
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| 397 | 397 | | (SSI) program or from veterans' disability benefits. 264 |
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| 398 | 398 | | Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 265 |
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