HB 395 — Dependent Children

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 HBCS/HB 395 2026 A bill to be entitled An act relating to dependent children;

amending s.

409.145, F.S.;

providing legislative findings;

requiring a caregiver to provide a weekly cash allowance to each child in his or her care beginning when the child attains a certain age;

prohibiting a caregiver from withholding a child's allowance as punishment;

providing that a child is not expected to use his or her allowance for certain items;

providing the amount of such weekly allowance;

authorizing the department to adopt rules;

PageBe 1It Enacted by the Legislature of 5the CODING:State of Florida:

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hb395-00 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 HB 395 2026 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

ThePage department1 andof such2 organizationsCODING: must meet quarterly, at a minimum, in person or via teleconference or other electronic means to solicit input on ways to address challenges and opportunities for children in the child welfare system.

Each meeting must have a formal agenda and such agenda and the minutes from each meeting must be made available on the department's website.

(b) Each community-based care lead agency shall coordinate with organizations that are focused on empowering children with lived experience.

The community-based care lead agency and such organizations must meet quarterly, at a minimum, in person or via teleconference or other electronic means to solicit input on ways to address challenges and opportunities for children in the child welfare system.

Each meeting must have a formal agenda and such agenda and the minutes from each meeting must be made available on the community-based care lead agency's website.

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hb395-00hb395-01-c1 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 HBCS/HB 395 2026 (c)The By February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning in 2027, the department and eachsuch community-basedorganizations care lead agency must makemeet publiclyquarterly, accessibleat on their respective websites a reportminimum, thatin outlinesperson howor thevia departmentteleconference andor theother community-basedelectronic caremeans leadto agenciessolicit haveinput implementedon theways suggestionsto ofaddress thechallenges organizationsand basedopportunities onfor thechildren meetings required in paragraphsthe (a)child andwelfare (b).system.

Each meeting must have a formal agenda, and such agenda and the minutes from each meeting must be made available on the department's website.

(b) Each community-based care lead agency shall coordinate with organizations that are focused on empowering children with lived experience.

The community-based care lead agency and such organizations must meet quarterly, at a minimum, in person or via teleconference or other electronic means to solicit input on ways to address challenges and opportunities for children in the child welfare system.

Each meeting must have a formal agenda, and such agenda and the minutes from each meeting must be made available on the community-based care lead agency's website.

(c) By February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning in 2027, the department and each community-based care lead agency must make publicly accessible on their respective websites a report that outlines how the department and the community-based care lead agencies have implemented the suggestions of the organizations based on the meetings required in paragraphs (a) and (b).

Subsection (5) of section 409.145, Florida Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (6), paragraph (b) of subsection (2) is amended, and a new subsection (5) is added to that section, to read:

409.145 Care of children;

"reasonable and prudent parent" standard.—The child welfare system of the department shall operate as a coordinated community-based system of care which empowers all caregivers for children in foster care to provide quality parenting, including approving or disapproving a child's participation in activities based on the caregiver's assessment using the "reasonable and prudent parent" standard.

(2) REASONABLE AND PRUDENT PARENT STANDARD.— (b) Application of standard of care.— 1.

Every child who comes into out-of-home care pursuant to this chapter is entitled to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities and to receive a weekly cash allowance for personal use in accordance with subsection (5).

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hb395-00 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 HB 395 2026 2.

Each caregiver shall use the reasonable and prudent parent standard in determining whether to give permission for a child living in out-of-home care to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, or social activities.

When using the reasonable and prudent parent standard, the caregiver must consider:

a.

The child's age, maturity, and developmental level to maintain the overall health and safety of the child.

b.

The potential risk factors and the appropriateness of the extracurricular, enrichment, or social activity.