SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/HB 395

Dependent Children
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SPONSOR
Human Services Subcommittee; Rizo; Woodson
FILED BY
Alex Rizo — District 112, Republican [search donations]
Marie Woodson — District 105, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Rules
PROVIDED SUMMARY

Dependent Children; Requires DCF & each community-based care lead agency to coordinate with certain organizations & meet quarterly for specified purpose; authorizes such meeting to be in person or via teleconference or other electronic means; requires such meetings to have formal agenda; requires department & each community-based care lead agency to make certain information available on their respective websites; requires, beginning in specified year, department & each community-based care lead agency to publish on their respective websites biannual report containing specified information.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Requires DCF and child welfare agencies to consult youth quarterly.

The Department of Children and Families and every community-based care lead agency must meet at least quarterly with organizations that empower children who have lived experience in the child welfare system.

Each meeting needs a formal agenda, and the agenda and minutes must be posted on the department's or agency's website for the public to see.

Starting in 2027, the department and each lead agency must publish a report twice a year explaining how they acted on the input those meetings produced.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Mandatory quarterly meetings with youth-advocacy organizations moderates. 39.4085

AIDCF and each community-based care lead agency must meet at least quarterly, in person or electronically, with organizations focused on empowering children with lived experience, to gather input on the child welfare system. Each meeting needs a formal, publicly posted agenda and minutes.

“The department and such organizations must meet quarterly, at a minimum, in person or via teleconference or other electronic means” bill text, line 26 →
§ 2 Biannual public reports on how youth input was used moderates. 39.4085

AIBeginning in 2027, DCF and each community-based care lead agency must publish a report on their websites every February 1 and August 1 describing how they implemented the suggestions gathered from the required meetings.

“the department and each community-based care lead agency must make publicly accessible on their respective websites a report” bill text, line 43 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Rules
2/26/2026
Received
2/26/2026
Referred to Rules
2/25/2026
In Messages
2/25/2026
CS passed; YEAS 116, NAYS 0
2/25/2026
Read 3rd time
2/25/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
2/25/2026
Read 2nd time
2/19/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/25/2026)
2/18/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/18/2026
Bill released to House Calendar
2/18/2026
Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee
2/18/2026
Favorable by Health & Human Services Committee
2/16/2026
Added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda
2/16/2026
Now in Health & Human Services Committee
2/16/2026
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
2/13/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2/13/2026
CS Filed
2/13/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
2/13/2026
Reported out of Human Services Subcommittee
2/12/2026
Favorable with CS by Human Services Subcommittee
2/10/2026
PCS added to Human Services Subcommittee agenda
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
11/18/2025
Now in Human Services Subcommittee
11/18/2025
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
11/18/2025
Referred to Health Care Budget Subcommittee
11/18/2025
Referred to Human Services Subcommittee
11/12/2025
Filed
22 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 39.4085
+222 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES