THE BILL ITSELF
SB 996
Dependent Children
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 996 By Senator Rodriguez 40-00983-26 2026996__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to dependent children; amending s.
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39.4085, F.S.; requiring the Department of Children
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and Families and each community-based care lead agency
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to coordinate with certain organizations and meet at
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least quarterly for a specified purpose; authorizing
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such meetings to be in person or via teleconference or
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other electronic means; requiring such meetings to
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have a formal agenda; requiring the department and
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each community-based care lead agency to make certain
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information available on their respective websites;
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requiring, beginning in a specified year, the
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department and each community-based care lead agency
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to publish on their respective websites a biannual
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report containing specified information; amending s.
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409.145, F.S.; providing legislative findings;
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requiring a caregiver to provide a weekly cash
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allowance to each child in his or her care beginning
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when the child attains a certain age; prohibiting a
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caregiver from withholding a child’s allowance as
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punishment; providing that a child may not be required
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to use his or her allowance for certain items;
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providing the amount of such weekly allowance;
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encouraging caregivers to offer certain opportunities
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and help to children in their care; authorizing the
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department to adopt rules; providing an effective
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date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 39.4085,
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Florida Statutes, to read:
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39.4085 Goals for dependent children; responsibilities;
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education; Office of the Children’s Ombudsman.—
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(6)(a) The department shall coordinate with organizations
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that are focused on empowering children with lived experience
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for the purpose of addressing challenges and opportunities for
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children in the child welfare system. The department and such
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organizations must meet at least quarterly in person or via
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teleconference or other electronic means to solicit input on
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ways to address such challenges and opportunities. Each meeting
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must have a formal agenda, and such agenda and the minutes from
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each meeting must be made available on the department’s website.
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(b) Each community-based care lead agency shall coordinate
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with organizations that are focused on empowering children with
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lived experience for the purpose of addressing challenges and
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opportunities for children in the child welfare system. The
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community-based care lead agency and such organizations must
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meet at least quarterly in person or via teleconference or other
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electronic means to solicit input on ways to address such
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challenges and opportunities. Each meeting must have a formal
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agenda, and such agenda and the minutes from each meeting must
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be made available on the community-based care lead agency’s
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website.
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(c) By February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning in
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2027, the department and each community-based care lead agency
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must make publicly accessible on their respective websites a
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report that outlines how the department and the community-based
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care lead agencies have implemented the suggestions received
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from organizations in the meetings required under paragraphs (a)
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and (b).
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Section 2. Present subsection (5) of section 409.145,
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Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (6), a new
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subsection (5) is added to that section, and paragraph (b) of
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subsection (2) is amended, to read:
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409.145 Care of children; “reasonable and prudent parent”
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standard.—The child welfare system of the department shall
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operate as a coordinated community-based system of care which
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empowers all caregivers for children in foster care to provide
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quality parenting, including approving or disapproving a child’s
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participation in activities based on the caregiver’s assessment
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using the “reasonable and prudent parent” standard.
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(2) REASONABLE AND PRUDENT PARENT STANDARD.—
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(b) Application of standard of care.—
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1. Every child who comes into out-of-home care pursuant to
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this chapter is entitled to participate in age-appropriate
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extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities and to
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receive a weekly cash allowance for personal use in accordance
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with subsection (5) .
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2. Each caregiver shall use the reasonable and prudent
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parent standard in determining whether to give permission for a
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child living in out-of-home care to participate in
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extracurricular, enrichment, or social activities. When using
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the reasonable and prudent parent standard, the caregiver must
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consider:
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a. The child’s age, maturity, and developmental level to
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maintain the overall health and safety of the child.
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b. The potential risk factors and the appropriateness of
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the extracurricular, enrichment, or social activity.
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c. The best interest of the child, based on information
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known by the caregiver.
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d. The importance of encouraging the child’s emotional and
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developmental growth.
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e. The importance of providing the child with the most
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family-like living experience possible.
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f. The behavioral history of the child and the child’s
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ability to safely participate in the proposed activity.
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(5) CASH ALLOWANCE.—
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(a) The Legislature finds that receiving a cash allowance
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is a critical aspect of normalcy for a child. A cash allowance
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teaches a child the value and use of money and promotes
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independence, responsibility, and decisionmaking.
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(b) A caregiver must provide each child in his or her care,
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beginning when the child attains 6 years of age, a weekly cash
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allowance that is not tied to the child’s behavior or the
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completion of the child’s chores. A caregiver may not withhold
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the child’s allowance as a form of punishment. A child may not
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be required to use his or her allowance to purchase personal
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hygiene items, school supplies, clothing, or other necessities
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that are the responsibility of the child’s caregiver. The
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minimum allowance is as follows:
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1. For children ages 6 to 12 years, $1 for each year of age
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per week.
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2. For children ages 13 to 17 years, $20 per week.
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(c) In addition to providing the allowance required under
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paragraph (b), a caregiver is encouraged to do all of the
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following:
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1. Offer the opportunity to earn money through chores to a
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child placed in his or her care.
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2. Help a child placed in his or her care to obtain
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employment, if the child wants to be employed.
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(d) The department may adopt rules to implement this
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subsection.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.