HB 819 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb819-00
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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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to Relative Caregiver Program 2
payments; amending s. 39.5085, F.S.; providing that 3
relatives and nonrelatives who have a child placed 4
with them in out-of-home care under the Relative 5
Caregiver Program may start receiving a monthly 6
payment at the time the child is placed in such out -7
of-home care, instead of starting when the child is 8
found to be dependent; providing that certain 9
relatives and nonrela tives who have a child placed 10
with them may start receiving monthly payments after a 11
specified time period; providing an effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
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Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of secti on 16
39.5085, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 17
39.5085 Relative Caregiver Program. — 18
(2) 19
(d)1. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child placed 20
with them in out-of-home care and who have obtained licensure as 21
a child-specific level I foster placeme nt, regardless of whether 22
a court has found the child to be dependent, shall receive a 23
monthly payment in accordance with s. 409.145(3) from the date 24
the child is placed in out -of-home care with his or her 25
HB 819 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb819-00
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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
relatives or with nonrelatives until the child ach ieves 26
permanency as determined by the court pursuant to s. 39.621. 27
2. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child who has been 28
found to be dependent placed with them in out -of-home care, 29
regardless of whether a court has found the child to be 30
dependent, shall receive a monthly payment at a rate equal to 31
the rate established in s. 409.145(3) for licensed foster 32
parents, regardless of whether the relatives or nonrelatives 33
have obtained a child -specific level I foster license, starting 34
from the date the child is found to be dependent or from the 35
date the child is placed with them in out -of-home care, 36
whichever is later, for a period of no more than 6 months or 37
until the child achieves permanency as determined by the court 38
pursuant to s. 39.621, whichever occur s first. 39
3. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child who has been 40
found to be dependent placed with them in out -of-home care, 41
regardless of whether a court has found the child to be 42
dependent, and who have not obtained a child -specific level I 43
foster license within 1 month after 6 months from the date of 44
such placement shall receive a monthly payment in an amount 45
determined by department rule starting 1 month from 6 months 46
after the date the child is found to be dependent or from 6 47
months after the chil d is placed with them in out -of-home care, 48
whichever is later, until the relatives or nonrelatives obtain a 49
child-specific level I foster license or until the child 50
HB 819 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb819-00
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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
achieves permanency as determined by the court pursuant to s. 51
39.621, whichever occurs firs t. The monthly payment amount paid 52
to relatives or nonrelatives pursuant to this subparagraph must 53
be less than the monthly payment amount provided to a 54
participant enrolled in the Guardianship Assistance Program 55
pursuant to s. 39.6225. 56
4. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child placed in 57
their care by permanent guardianship pursuant to s. 39.6221, in 58
a permanent placement with a fit and willing relative pursuant 59
to s. 39.6231, or under former s. 39.622 if the placement was 60
made before July 1, 2006, an d who are not enrolled in the 61
Guardianship Assistance Program pursuant to s. 39.6225 shall 62
receive a monthly payment in an amount determined by department 63
rule which must be less than the monthly payment amount provided 64
to a participant enrolled in the Gua rdianship Assistance Program 65
under s. 39.6225. 66
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 67