HB 1275

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to adoption benefits; amending s. 110.152,
3	F.S.; defining the term "qualifying adoptive parent";
4	expanding the categories of persons who are eligible to be
5	qualifying adoptive parents; providing that a qualifying
6	adoptive parent who adopts a special-needs child or a
7	child whose permanent custody has been awarded to the
8	Department of Children and Family Services or to a
9	Florida-licensed child-placing agency, other than a
10	special-needs child, is eligible to receive a specified
11	monetary benefit that is paid to the adoptive parent in
12	equal monthly installments over a 1-year period; amending
13	s. 110.15201, F.S.; authorizing the Department of
14	Management Services to adopt rules to administer the
15	adoption benefits program; providing an effective date.
16
17	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19	Section 1.  Section 110.152, Florida Statutes, is amended
20	to read:
21	110.152  Adoption benefits for qualifying adoptive parents
22	state employees; parental leave.--
23	(1)  As used in this section, the term "qualifying adoptive
24	parent" means a full-time or part-time employee of:
25	(a)  The state, including a full-time or part-time employee
26	of the State University System;
27	(b)  Any community college; or
28	(c)  Any county school district, including teachers.
29	(2)(1)(a)  Any qualifying adoptive parent full-time or
30	part-time employee of the state who is paid from regular salary
31	appropriations and who adopts a special-needs child, as defined
32	in paragraph (b), is eligible to receive a monetary benefit in
33	the amount of $10,000 per child, which is payable in equal
34	monthly installments over a 1-year period. Any qualifying
35	adoptive parent employee of the state who adopts a child whose
36	permanent custody has been awarded to the Department of Children
37	and Family Services or to a Florida-licensed child-placing
38	agency, other than a special-needs child as defined in paragraph
39	(b), shall be eligible to receive a monetary benefit in the
40	amount of $5,000 per child, which is payable in equal monthly
41	installments over a 1-year period. Benefits paid under this
42	subsection to a part-time employee must be prorated based on the
43	employee's full-time-equivalency status at the time of applying
44	for the benefits.
45	(b)  For purposes of this section, a "special-needs child"
46	is a child whose permanent custody has been awarded to the
47	Department of Children and Family Services or to a Florida-
48	licensed child-placing agency and who is not likely to be
49	adopted because he or she is:
50	1.  Eight years of age or older.
51	2.  A person with a developmental disability.
52	3.  A person with a physical or emotional handicap.
53	4.  Of a minority race or of a racially mixed heritage.
54	5.  A member of a sibling group of any age, provided that
55	two or more members of a sibling group remain together for the
56	purposes of adoption.
57	(3)(2)  A qualifying adoptive parent An employee of the
58	state who adopts a special-needs child must apply to his or her
59	agency head to obtain the monetary benefit provided in
60	subsection (2) (1). Applications must be on forms approved by
61	the department and must include a certified copy of the final
62	order of adoption naming the applicant as the adoptive parent.
63	(4)(3)  Nothing in This section does not shall affect the
64	right of any qualifying adoptive parent state employee who
65	adopts a special-needs child to receive financial aid for
66	adoption expenses under pursuant to s. 409.166 or any other
67	statute that provides financial incentives for the adoption of
68	children.
69	(5)(4)  Any qualifying adoptive parent employee of the
70	state who has a child placed in the custody of the adopting
71	parent employee for adoption, and who continues to reside in the
72	same household as the child placed for adoption, shall be
73	granted parental leave for a period not to exceed 6 months as
74	provided in s. 110.221.
75	Section 2.  Section 110.15201, Florida Statutes, is amended
76	to read:
77	110.15201  Adoption benefits for state employees;
78	rulemaking authority.--The Department of Management Services may
79	adopt rules to administer the provisions of this act. The Such
80	rules may provide for an application process such as, but not
81	limited to, an open enrollment period during which qualifying
82	adoptive parents employees may apply for monetary benefits as
83	provided in s. 110.152(1).
84	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.