Florida Senate - 2012                                     SB 790
       
       
       
       By Senator Fasano
       
       
       
       
       11-00622-12                                            2012790__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to criminal history background
    3         screening for recipients of and applicants for welfare
    4         benefits; requiring an applicant for or recipient of
    5         certain specified government welfare benefits to
    6         submit to the Department of Children and Family
    7         Services the name of each adult, if any, living in the
    8         home of the applicant or recipient or who has regular
    9         care or custody of a child of the applicant or
   10         recipient; requiring each recipient, applicant, or
   11         other named person to undergo level 2 background
   12         screening; requiring each recipient, applicant, or
   13         other named person who has a criminal history for any
   14         type of violent behavior to enroll and complete a
   15         state-approved parenting and anger management course
   16         before any welfare benefit is paid to the applicant or
   17         recipient; requiring the recipient or applicant to
   18         sign an affidavit containing certain specified
   19         information; providing criminal and civil penalties;
   20         providing an effective date.
   21  
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. Criminal history background screening for
   25  applicants for or recipients of welfare benefits.—
   26         (1) A person who receives or applies for state or federal
   27  health and human services benefits, including, but not limited
   28  to, housing assistance, Medicaid, food stamps, Temporary
   29  Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security
   30  Income (SSI), or any other state or federal welfare benefit for
   31  families with children shall submit to the Department of
   32  Children and Family Services the name of each adult, if any,
   33  living in the home of the applicant or recipient or who has
   34  regular care, custody, or control of a minor child of the
   35  recipient or applicant.
   36         (2) An applicant, recipient, or person named in subsection
   37  (1) shall submit to background screening in accordance with the
   38  level 2 standards for screening set forth in chapter 435,
   39  Florida Statutes.
   40         (3) If an applicant, recipient, or other named person has a
   41  criminal history for any type of violent behavior, he or she
   42  shall enroll in and complete a parenting and anger management
   43  course approved by the Department of Children and Family
   44  Services before the department or any other state or local
   45  entity pays the applicant or recipient the welfare benefits to
   46  which the applicant or recipient would otherwise be entitled.
   47         (4) The applicant or recipient shall sign an affidavit
   48  stating that he or she:
   49         (a) Has submitted the name of each person who presently
   50  resides in the applicant’s or recipient’s home or who has
   51  regular care, custody, or control of the child of the recipient
   52  or applicant.
   53         (b) Will notify and update the Department of Children and
   54  Family Services any time a new person moves into the home or
   55  assumes child-monitoring duties for the applicant or recipient.
   56         (5) An applicant or recipient who fails to comply with the
   57  requirements of this section:
   58         (a) Commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable
   59  as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, Florida Statutes;
   60         (b) Is subject to a fine of $500; and
   61         (c) Is subject to a loss of the government benefit for a
   62  period of time not to exceed 6 months.
   63         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.