THE BILL ITSELF

CS/HB 1327

Veteran Benefit Payments to Minor Clients

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 A bill to be entitled

2 An act relating to veteran benefit payments to minor

3 clients; amending s. 402.33, F.S.; requiring the

4 Department of Children and Families to receive,

5 deposit, and conserve certain benefit payments for

6 certain minor clients; providing requirements for such

7 funds; prohibiting the Department of Children and

8 Families from using such funds for certain purposes;

9 providing an effective date.

11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

13 Section 1. Subsections (3) through (9) of section 402.33,

14 Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (4) through (10), respectively, and a new subsection (3) is added to that

16 section, to read:

17 402.33 Department authority to charge fees for services

18 provided.—

19 (3) The Department of Children and Families must receive,

20 deposit, and conserve all survivor benefit payments provided by

21 the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs on behalf of a

22 minor client in out-of-home care. The accumulated funds must be

23 disbursed in their entirety to the minor client upon attaining

24 18 years of age. The Department of Children and Families may not

25 use such funds to reimburse the state for the cost of care.

26 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.