Several bills pass Florida legislature to help state’s most vulnerable populations

Bills related to patient’s rights, child welfare and the state’s homeless youth population passed the Florida state legislature and are heading to the governor's desk. The majority of the bills, many introduced or supported by state Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami, passed both chambers unanimously and received overwhelming bipartisan support.

Garcia says she’s proud of the accomplishments of the legislature and believes these bills will positively impact Floridians and protect vulnerable populations.

Four bills she sponsored or supported passed unanimously in both chambers.

One bill, Care of Students with Epilepsy or Seizure Disorders, CS/HB 173, would require schools to provide epilepsy and seizure disorder care to students. It provides for the creation and implementation of an individualized seizure action plan for students in addition to requirements for the state Department of Education, schools, school nurses and certain other school employees related to the plan. It requires training for school employees who are in regular contact with students who have submitted an individualized seizure action plan to their school. It passed both chambers unanimously.

Another bill, SB 7034, Child Welfare, was designed to help foster care students seeking to obtain advanced degrees. It would allow them to receive tuition and fee exemption waivers at a workforce education program, a Florida College System institution or a state university and increases financial support provided to foster parents and the children in their care.

It would revise payment rates for relative and nonrelative caregivers under the Relative Caregiver Program; revise and specify room and board rates paid by the Department of Children and Families; revise fee waiver eligibility for students who are or were placed in the custody of a relative or nonrelative to include certain students, according to the bill summary. It also would create a tuition and fee exemption “for students who enter the custody of the department after a specified age and who are reunited with their parent or parents before reaching a specified age and after spending at least 18 months in out-of-home care.”

Another bill that received unanimous support was HB 1577, Homeless Youth, which would expand several programs for certified homeless youth. They include the “campus coach program” to ensure success in postsecondary education and the “Keys to Independence program” designed to remove barriers to employment.

The bill would remove barriers related to accessing medical and other care and require local school districts to provide certified homeless youth with a card that includes pertinent information related to benefits for which they qualify. It also would expand the fee waiver exemption for birth records to certified homeless youth and foster youth who have aged out of the child welfare system. It also would allow for them to consent to certain care and fee exemption eligibility.

The bill would require that homeless youth be able to receive documents free of charge, financial assistance to attend postsecondary education, receive assistance to acquire motor vehicle insurance and driver licenses, among other provisions.

Another bill that received unanimous support, HB 615, Human Trafficking, would institute a range of educational measures related to anti-trafficking efforts. It would require the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking to develop certain training for fire safety inspector and ensure the training is eligible for continuing education credits. It also would require foster parents and agency staff to complete pre-service and in-service training on human trafficking.

One bill she sponsored, SB 988, the No Patient Left Alone Act, nearly passed both chambers unanimously. It passed the Senate March 4 and the House by a vote of 115 to 2 March 9.

“It ensures patients, residents and clients have the support of their loved ones when they need it most,” Garcia said.

The bill would require intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled, developmental disability centers, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice facilities, and hospitals to allow visitation at all times. It also would require that essential caregivers be allowed to visit their loved ones for a minimum of two hours daily.

The bills are headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s expected to sign them.

Once signed, the provisions of the bills take effect upon becoming law.