SB 60 — Child Welfare

Summary

Child Welfare; Citing this act as the “Child Safety and Custody Compliance Act”; specifying that every Child Protection Team investigator employed by the Department of Children and Families is required to perform all specified duties; requiring the department to verify, and seek up-to-date and accurate records of, the parenting plan or court-ordered custody arrangement, if one exists, as part of every investigation involving parents or guardians who reside in separate households; prohibiting anonymous reports from being afforded the same presumption of good faith as reports made by a person who identifies himself or herself; specifying that schools are responsible for and are required to enforce and adhere to any parenting plan or court order that specifies custody arrangements, etc.

Bill Text

• Introduced S 60 Filed Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill revises definitions and requirements related to child abuse reporting and custody enforcement, while also imposing new penalties and procedures for violations.

• 39.01

  Abuse of a child includes acts or omissions. → Abuse of a child includes the birth of a new child into a family during the course of an open dependency case when the parent or caregiver has been determined to lack the protective capacity to safely care for the children in the home and has not substantially complied with the case plan towards successful reunification or met the conditions for return of the children into the home. The term includes a violation of s. 787.03, relating to interference with custody.

  This change expands the definition of 'abuse' to include specific circumstances regarding new children born into a family during ongoing dependency cases.

• 39.01

  Maliciously made for the purpose of: → Maliciously made for the purpose of: 1. Harassing, embarrassing, or harming another person; 2. Personal financial gain for the reporting person; 3. Acquiring custody of a child.

  This amendment clarifies the definition of 'false report' to include additional motives for making malicious reports.

• 39.201

  good faith as reports made by a person who identifies himself or herself; → good faith as reports made by a person who identifies himself or herself; requiring that anonymous reports be subject to closer scrutiny than reports made by a person who identifies himself or herself.

  This change establishes that anonymous reports of abuse will not be afforded the same presumption of good faith as those from identified reporters.

• 39.205

  authorizing the department to immediately discontinue all investigative activities → requiring, rather than authorizing, the department to immediately discontinue all investigative activities

  This amendment mandates that the department must stop investigative activities under specific circumstances instead of merely being allowed to do so.

• 39.206

  a person who makes a false report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect is not entitled to confidentiality under a certain provision; → a person who makes a false report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect is not entitled to confidentiality under a certain provision; expanding the circumstances under which the department may impose fines on persons who make certain anonymous reports;

  This adjustment clarifies that individuals making false reports will not receive confidentiality protections and expands the fines applicable to anonymous reporters.

• 39.301

  the term “criminal conduct” → the term “criminal conduct” to ensure a clear definition in cases of child abuse investigations.

  This change ensures that the definition of 'criminal conduct' is revised for greater clarity in child abuse contexts.

• 61.046

  the term “parenting plan” → the term “parenting plan” to include the requirement that parenting plans include specified information;

  This alteration ensures that parenting plans must contain specific required information.

• 402.56

  at least four times each year; → at least quarterly,

  This requires the Children and Youth Cabinet to meet more frequently, shifting from four times a year to quarterly.

• 683.23

  remembered on Florida Missing Children’s Day; → children missing due to family abduction or custody interference among those remembered on Florida Missing Children’s Day;

  This adds children who are missing due to family abductions or custody issues to those recognized on Missing Children’s Day.

• 61.5085

  defining the term “emergency hearing”; requiring a court to grant an emergency hearing upon making a specified finding;

  This creates a new provision for emergency hearings in family law cases.

• 1003.042

  specifying that schools are responsible for and are required to enforce and adhere to any parenting plan or court order that specifies custody arrangements;

  This establishes schools' responsibilities to follow and enforce custody arrangements outlined in parenting plans.

Action History

1. June 16, 2025

   Died in Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

2. May 03, 2025

   Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration

3. March 04, 2025

   Introduced

4. January 15, 2025

   Referred to Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Fiscal Policy

5. November 21, 2024

   Filed

Sponsors

• Shevrin D. "Shev" Jones · Cosponsor
• Rosalind Osgood · Cosponsor
• Ana Maria Rodriguez · Primary

Subjects