HB 6535 — Relief/L.E./Department of Children and Families

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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 A bill to be entitled An act for the relief of L.E.

requiring that specified liens be waived and paid by the state;

9 WHEREAS, L.E.

a duty to ensure her safety and prevent further harm, and WHEREAS, the department sent a child protective investigator to the hospital to initiate an investigation into Page 1 of 89 CODING:

hb6535-02-c2hb6535-01-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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 WHEREAS, the department sent a child protective investigator to the hospital to initiate an investigation into the reported abuse, and WHEREAS, the department discovered that L.E.'s mother had a history of substance misuse, untreated mental health issues, and a criminal history involving violence, and WHEREAS, the department discovered that both L.E.'s mother and father had an extensive history of involvement with the department, including, collectively, at least 20 prior child abuse hotline reports, and WHEREAS, one of those prior reports involved egregious abuse of L.E.'s biological father's other daughter when she was not yet 6 months old, resulting in long-bone fractures, and WHEREAS, the department removed that daughter from the father's care, and WHEREAS, L.E.'s mother's other two biological children had previously been removed from her care due to verified child abuse, and WHEREAS, as L.E.'s mother placed her third child for adoption, she was also planning to place L.E.

at the hospital and, against medical advice, left the hospital with L.E.'s father, and WHEREAS, an adoption specialist arrived at the hospital to visitPage L.E.,2 andof WHEREAS,9 whileCODING: L.E.

was still in the hospital following her Page 2 of 8 CODING:

hb6535-02-c2hb6535-01-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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 birth,visit theL.E., departmentand determinedWHEREAS, thatwhile L.E.

was still in the hospital following her birth, the department determined that L.E.

was placed into her parents' home, and WHEREAS, on or about, September 17, 2019, less than 4 weeks later, the department determined that it would be closing its investigation, despite acknowledging that L.E.'s home situation was volatile and unstable and that L.E.'s mother remained violent and impulsive, and WHEREAS, the subcontractor planned to decrease its Page 3 of 89 CODING:

hb6535-02-c2hb6535-01-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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 violent and impulsive, and WHEREAS, the subcontractor planned to decrease its monitoring of L.E.

was brought to Rockledge Regional Hospital in distress and experiencing seizures, and WHEREAS, medical staff at Rockledge Regional Hospital found makeup covering obvious bruising across her forehead, and Page 4 of 89 CODING:

hb6535-02-c2hb6535-01-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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 WHEREAS, medical staff at Rockledge Regional Hospital found makeup covering obvious bruising across her forehead, and WHEREAS, doctors determined that L.E.

was subjected to repeated and severe child abuse and neglect while in the care of her parents, and WHEREAS, L.E.'s parents were arrested, charged, and Page 5 of 89 CODING:

hb6535-02-c2hb6535-01-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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 neglect while in the care of her parents, and WHEREAS, L.E.'s parents were arrested, charged, and convicted of aggravated child abuse based upon their abuse of L.E.

requires and will continue to require constant care, monitoring, supervision, various therapies, multiple specialist services, and supportive care throughout the remainder of her life, which may include admission to a skilled residential home if her adoptive parent is no longer able to care for her, and WHEREAS, the department, charged with operating Florida's child welfare system, failed in its duties to ensure L.E.'s safety and protect her from harm, and WHEREAS, the department's negligence, in combination with the failures of its subcontracted agency, caused catastrophic Page 6 of 89 CODING:

hb6535-02-c2hb6535-01-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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 WHEREAS, the department's negligence, in combination with the failures of its subcontracted agency, caused catastrophic brain injury that will have a significant impact on L.E.

SectionPage 1.7 of 9 CODING:

The facts stated in the preamble to this act Page 7 of 8 CODING:

hb6535-02-c2hb6535-01-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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 6535 2025 areSection found1. and declared to be true.

The facts stated in the preamble to this act are found and declared to be true.

TheIt Chief Financial Officer is directed to draw a warrant in favor of L.E., payable to the irrevocableintent trust which has already been created for the exclusive use and benefit of L.E., in the sumLegislature ofthat $3.8all milliongovernment uponliens, fundsincluding ofMedicaid theliens, Departmentresulting offrom Children and Families in the Statetreatment Treasury and tocare pay the same out of suchL.E. funds in the State Treasury.

for the occurrences described in this act be waived and paid by the state.

The Chief Financial Officer is directed to draw a warrant in favor of L.E., payable to the irrevocable trust which has already been created for the exclusive use and benefit of L.E., in the sum of $3.8 million upon funds of the Department of Children and Families in the State Treasury and to pay the same out of such funds in the State Treasury.

Section 5.

The total amount paid for attorney fees relating to this claim against the department may not exceed 25 percent of the total amountPage awarded8 underof this9 act.CODING:

SectionWords 5.stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

hb6535-01-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 CS/HB 6535 2025 amount awarded under this act.

Section 6.

Page 89 of 89 CODING:

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