| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to licensure of family foster homes; 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | amending s. 409.175, F.S.; requiring the Department of 3 |
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| 17 | 17 | | Children and Families to adopt rules to streamline the 4 |
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| 18 | 18 | | licensure application process for licensed foster 5 |
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| 19 | 19 | | parents who relocate within this state; requiring such 6 |
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| 20 | 20 | | rules to include priority review of applications, 7 |
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| 21 | 21 | | expedited home studies and background checks, and 8 |
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| 22 | 22 | | recognition of prior foster parent training 9 |
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| 23 | 23 | | coursework; providing an effective date. 10 |
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| 24 | 24 | | 11 |
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| 25 | 25 | | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 13 |
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| 27 | 27 | | Section 1. Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section 14 |
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| 28 | 28 | | 409.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 15 |
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| 29 | 29 | | 409.175 Licensure of family foster homes, resid ential 16 |
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| 30 | 30 | | child-caring agencies, and child -placing agencies; public 17 |
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| 31 | 31 | | records exemption.— 18 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (6) 19 |
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| 33 | 33 | | (i)1. Upon determination that the applicant meets the state 20 |
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| 34 | 34 | | minimum licensing requirements and has obtained a letter from a 21 |
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| 35 | 35 | | community-based care lead agency which indicates that the family 22 |
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| 36 | 36 | | foster home meets the criteria established by the lead agency, 23 |
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| 37 | 37 | | the department shall issue a license without charge to a 24 |
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| 38 | 38 | | specific person or agency at a specific location. A license may 25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | Page 2 of 2 |
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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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| 48 | 48 | | |
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| 49 | 49 | | |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | be issued if all the screening materials have been timely 26 |
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| 52 | 52 | | submitted; however, a license may not be issued or renewed if 27 |
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| 53 | 53 | | any person at the home or agency has failed the required 28 |
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| 54 | 54 | | screening. The license is nontransferable. A copy of the license 29 |
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| 55 | 55 | | shall be displayed in a conspicuous place. Except as provide d in 30 |
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| 56 | 56 | | paragraph (k), the license is valid for 1 year from the date of 31 |
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| 57 | 57 | | issuance, unless the license is suspended or revoked by the 32 |
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| 58 | 58 | | department or is voluntarily surrendered by the licensee. The 33 |
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| 59 | 59 | | license is the property of the department. 34 |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2. The department sh all adopt rules to streamline the 35 |
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| 61 | 61 | | licensure application process for a licensed foster parent who 36 |
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| 62 | 62 | | is in good standing and relocates within this state. These rules 37 |
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| 63 | 63 | | must include, but are not limited to, rules concerning priority 38 |
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| 64 | 64 | | review of applications, expedi ted home studies and background 39 |
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| 65 | 65 | | checks, and recognition of prior foster parent training 40 |
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| 66 | 66 | | coursework. 41 |
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| 67 | 67 | | Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025. 42 |
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