Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1327 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	HB 1327 2025
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb1327-00
9	9	Page 1 of 9
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
11	11
12	12
13	13
14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to community services for needy 2
16	16	individuals and families ; creating s. 23.41, F.S.; 3
17	17	providing a short title; creating s. 23.42, F.S.; 4
18	18	providing goals of Hope Florida; creating s. 23.43, 5
19	19	F.S.; providing definitions; creating s. 23.44, F.S.; 6
20	20	creating the Hope Florida Office within the Executive 7
21	21	Office of the Governor; providing duties of the 8
22	22	office; providing eligibility requirements for Hope 9
23	23	Florida participants; specifying that Hope Florida is 10
24	24	voluntary; specifying mechanisms by which individuals 11
25	25	may receive assistance; requiring the office to 12
26	26	designate a state agency to perform certain functions; 13
27	27	creating s. 23.45, F.S.; requiring Hope Navigators to 14
28	28	be embedded in communities for specified purposes; 15
29	29	requiring care plans to include certain steps and 16
30	30	timelines; specifying duties of the Hope Florida 17
31	31	partner network; requiring specified state agencies to 18
32	32	participate in Hope Florida at the direction of the 19
33	33	Executive Office of the Governor; requiring 20
34	34	participating state agencies to use existing resources 21
35	35	and personnel, if possible; authorizing other entities 22
36	36	to participate in Hope Florida at the direction of the 23
37	37	office; providing an effective date. 24
38	38	25
39	39
40	40	HB 1327 2025
41	41
42	42
43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb1327-00
46	46	Page 2 of 9
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
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 26
52	52	27
53	53	Section 1. Part IV of chapter 23, Florida Statutes, 28
54	54	consisting of sections 23.41, 23.42, 23.43, 23.44, and 23.45, is 29
55	55	created and entitled "Hope Florida." 30
56	56	Section 2. Section 23.41, Florida Statutes, is created to 31
57	57	read: 32
58	58	23.41 Short title.—This part may be cited as the "Hope 33
59	59	Florida Act." 34
60	60	Section 3. Section 23.42, Florida Statutes, is created to 35
61	61	read: 36
62	62	23.42 Hope Florida goals. —The goals of Hope Florida are 37
63	63	to: 38
64	64	(1) Streamline access to support, services, and assistance 39
65	65	so that residents in need can reach their full potential within 40
66	66	their local communities and to holistically coordinate care 41
67	67	through Hope Navigators. 42
68	68	(2) Facilitate alignment and coordination of participating 43
69	69	state agencies. 44
70	70	(3) Break down traditional silos and establish a seamless 45
71	71	network of support systems, managed through one centralized 46
72	72	system comprised of private businesses, nonpr ofit entities, 47
73	73	state agencies, and faith -based organizations, to effectively 48
74	74	achieve desired outcomes and sustain long -term results including 49
75	75	greater self-sufficiency, community integration, and the 50
76	76
77	77	HB 1327 2025
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb1327-00
83	83	Page 3 of 9
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
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	reduction of the participant's sole reliance on governmen t 51
89	89	programs. 52
90	90	Section 4. Section 23.43, Florida Statutes, is created to 53
91	91	read: 54
92	92	23.43 Definitions.—As used in this part, t he term: 55
93	93	(1) "Care plan" means a written document that contains 56
94	94	information provided by Hope Florida to participants and 57
95	95	develops and customizes tangible action steps and corresponding 58
96	96	timelines so that participants can achieve their immediate, 59
97	97	intermediate, and long -term goals. The care plan must also 60
98	98	address barriers by directly connecting participants to 61
99	99	community resources and op portunities. 62
100	100	(2) "Hope Florida partner network" means a group of 63
101	101	entities, including state agencies, public -private partnerships, 64
102	102	and nonprofit, private -sector, and faith-based organizations, 65
103	103	that is actively engaged in Hope Florida and provides goods or 66
104	104	services to directly support the participants' goals and address 67
105	105	identified barriers. 68
106	106	(3) "Hope line" means a statewide toll -free telephone 69
107	107	number that serves as a hotline for Hope Florida inquiries and 70
108	108	referrals for services. 71
109	109	(4) "Hope Navigators" means individuals that coordinate 72
110	110	care and assist participants and families seeking services 73
111	111	through Hope Florida. 74
112	112	(5) "Office" means the Hope Florida Office within the 75
113	113
114	114	HB 1327 2025
115	115
116	116
117	117
118	118	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
119	119	hb1327-00
120	120	Page 4 of 9
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
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	Executive Office of the Governor. 76
126	126	(6) "Participant" means an individual who volunta rily 77
127	127	participates in Hope Florida. 78
128	128	(7) "Participating state agency" means a state agency 79
129	129	participating in Hope Florida at the direction of the Executive 80
130	130	Office of the Governor. 81
131	131	Section 5. Section 23.44, Florida Statutes, is created to 82
132	132	read: 83
133	133	23.44 Hope Florida Office; eligibility to participate; 84
134	134	duties.— 85
135	135	(1) The Hope Florida Office is created within the 86
136	136	Executive Office of the Governor. The director of the Hope 87
137	137	Florida Office shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure 88
138	138	of the Governor. 89
139	139	(2) The office shall: 90
140	140	(a) Establish goals and strategies for Hope Florida. 91
141	141	(b) Facilitate coordination and collaboration among 92
142	142	participating state agencies to achieve these goals. 93
143	143	(c) Expand the Hope Florida partner network to meet the 94
144	144	needs of participants. 95
145	145	(d) Empower and assist residents in need to help identify 96
146	146	and achieve immediate, intermediate, and long -term goals and 97
147	147	remove barriers to goal achievement through the development and 98
148	148	implementation of care plans in partnership with Hope 99
149	149	Navigators. 100
150	150
151	151	HB 1327 2025
152	152
153	153
154	154
155	155	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
156	156	hb1327-00
157	157	Page 5 of 9
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
159	159
160	160
161	161
162	162	(e) Use Hope Navigators to assist participants in 101
163	163	identifying their personal goals, developing individualized 102
164	164	plans for achieving immediate, intermediate, and long -term 103
165	165	goals, identifying and addressing barriers, and actively 104
166	166	connecting participants to co mmunity resources and opportunities 105
167	167	to achieve their goals. 106
168	168	(f) Use participating state agencies to serve families 107
169	169	holistically in achieving self -sufficiency, maximizing community 108
170	170	integration, and building a prosperous future. Barriers to self -109
171	171	sufficiency may include the inability to: 110
172	172	1. Obtain stable employment; 111
173	173	2. Increase wages; 112
174	174	3. Obtain the necessary skills for greater independence, 113
175	175	education, or training; 114
176	176	4. Meet basic needs; or 115
177	177	5. Find stable housing. 116
178	178	(g) Refer participants requiring as sistance with 117
179	179	employment or vocational training to CareerSource Florida and 118
180	180	local workforce development boards or other entities to prepare, 119
181	181	train, and place the participants in meaningful employment. 120
182	182	(3)(a) To become a participant in Hope Florida, an 121
183	183	individual must be: 122
184	184	1. A legal resident of this state. 123
185	185	2. A citizen of the United States or a permanent resident 124
186	186	alien of the United States, as determined by the United States 125
187	187
188	188	HB 1327 2025
189	189
190	190
191	191
192	192	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
193	193	hb1327-00
194	194	Page 6 of 9
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
196	196
197	197
198	198
199	199	Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. 126
200	200	3.a. At least 18 years of age; 127
201	201	b. If emancipated, at least 16 years of age; or 128
202	202	c. If not emancipated and under 18 years of age, 129
203	203	authorized to participate via written the consent of a parent or 130
204	204	guardian. 131
205	205	(b) Participation in Hope Florida is voluntary. 132
206	206	(c) Individuals may receive assistance by: 133
207	207	1. Calling the Hope Line; 134
208	208	2. Accessing the Hope Florida website; or 135
209	209	3. Being contacted or referred to the Hope Florida website 136
210	210	by a participating state agency, Hope Navigator, or community 137
211	211	organization. 138
212	212	(4) The office shall d esignate a state agency to, at a 139
213	213	minimum: 140
214	214	(a) Operate the Hope Line , which shall be available, at a 141
215	215	minimum, during business hours Monday through Friday. 142
216	216	(b) Develop and maintain a website for individuals to 143
217	217	connect with Hope Florida or to volunteer th eir time or donate 144
218	218	resources. 145
219	219	(c) Develop and maintain a Hope Florida case management 146
220	220	system that, at a minimum, conducts intake for Hope Florida 147
221	221	inquiries and referrals for individuals and families in need of 148
222	222	services. An electronic system shall be deve loped and maintained 149
223	223	by the state agency to provide, at a minimum, care planning 150
224	224
225	225	HB 1327 2025
226	226
227	227
228	228
229	229	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
230	230	hb1327-00
231	231	Page 7 of 9
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
233	233
234	234
235	235
236	236	functionality, closed -loop referrals, and tracking. 151
237	237	(d) Work with the Department of Commerce and CareerSource 152
238	238	Florida to maintain a portal for designating employers as Hope 153
239	239	Florida employers. The portal must be integrated with the 154
240	240	Department of Commerce's one -stop delivery system to ensure that 155
241	241	all Floridians served through Hope Florida have access to 156
242	242	employment and training services. 157
243	243	Section 6. Section 23.45, Florida Sta tutes, is created to 158
244	244	read: 159
245	245	23.45 Hope Navigators; care plans; Hope Florida partner 160
246	246	network; participating state agencies. — 161
247	247	(1)(a) Hope Navigators are resources that must be embedded 162
248	248	within communities and which serve as catalysts and a single 163
249	249	point of contact for participants. Hope Navigators must use 164
250	250	participant information to jointly develop and implement care 165
251	251	plans and navigate and actively leverage community -based 166
252	252	supports and opportunities to create a sustainable network of 167
253	253	supports to help partici pants achieve their goals, overcome 168
254	254	barriers, and realize their full potential. 169
255	255	(b) A care plan, at a minimum, must include action steps 170
256	256	and corresponding timelines to address immediate, intermediate, 171
257	257	and long-term goals and barriers to help participants achieve 172
258	258	their personal goals. Personal goals may include goals relating 173
259	259	to mentorship and coaching, life skills development, employment, 174
260	260	education attainment, community engagement and volunteerism, and 175
261	261
262	262	HB 1327 2025
263	263
264	264
265	265
266	266	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
267	267	hb1327-00
268	268	Page 8 of 9
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
270	270
271	271
272	272
273	273	addressing barriers such as the inability of particip ants to 176
274	274	meet their basic needs, transportation disadvantages, or 177
275	275	untreated medical and behavioral health conditions. 178
276	276	(2) The Hope Florida partner network must work to retain 179
277	277	existing partnerships and continuously develop new partnerships 180
278	278	to sustain the effectiveness of Hope Florida. 181
279	279	(3)(a) State agencies shall participate in Hope Florida at 182
280	280	the direction of the Executive Office of the Governor. At a 183
281	281	minimum, the following state agencies must participate in the 184
282	282	program: 185
283	283	1. The Department of Children an d Families. 186
284	284	2. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities. 187
285	285	3. The Department of Juvenile Justice. 188
286	286	4. The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office. 189
287	287	5. The Department of Education. 190
288	288	6. The Agency for Health Care Administration. 191
289	289	7. The Department of Correc tions. 192
290	290	8. The Division of Emergency Management. 193
291	291	9. The Department of Veterans' Affairs. 194
292	292	10. The Department of Commerce. 195
293	293	11. The Department of Elderly Affairs. 196
294	294	(b) In order to use government resources more effectively 197
295	295	and efficiently, participatin g state agencies must use existing 198
296	296	resources and personnel, to the extent possible, to operate Hope 199
297	297	Florida. 200
298	298
299	299	HB 1327 2025
300	300
301	301
302	302
303	303	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
304	304	hb1327-00
305	305	Page 9 of 9
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
307	307
308	308
309	309
310	310	(c) Other public-private partners may also participate in 201
311	311	Hope Florida at the direction of the office, including 202
312	312	CareerSource Florida and the Commission on Community Service. 203
313	313	Section 7. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 204