Florida Senate - 2022                                     SB 858
       
       
        
       By Senator Brodeur
       
       
       
       
       
       9-00347B-22                                            2022858__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to fee exemptions for reunited
    3         students; amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; creating a
    4         tuition and fee exemption for students who enter the
    5         custody of the Department of Children and Families
    6         after a specified age and who are reunited with their
    7         biological or legal custodians before reaching a
    8         specified age after spending at least 18 months in
    9         department custody; requiring the student to meet
   10         certain federal financial aid eligibility
   11         requirements; providing that the exemption includes
   12         fees associated with enrollment in applied academics
   13         for adult education instruction; providing that the
   14         exemption remains valid until the student reaches a
   15         specified age; providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Present paragraphs (e) through (h) of subsection
   20  (1) of section 1009.25, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
   21  paragraphs (f) through (i), respectively, and a new paragraph
   22  (e) is added to that subsection, to read:
   23         1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
   24         (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
   25  tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
   26  provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
   27  institution, or state university:
   28         (e) A student who was placed in the custody of the
   29  Department of Children and Families, in either protective
   30  supervision or out-of-home care, for a period of at least 18
   31  months on or after his or her 14th birthday and who was
   32  reunited, before his or her 18th birthday, with the biological
   33  or legal custodian who was the subject of the dependency
   34  proceedings that resulted in the child’s placement with the
   35  department. The student must meet the eligibility requirements
   36  for federal financial aid under 20 U.S.C. s. 1091. The exemption
   37  includes fees associated with enrollment in applied academics
   38  for adult education instruction. The exemption remains valid
   39  until the student reaches 28 years of age.
   40         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.