Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1442
       
       
        
       By Senator Grall
       
       
       
       
       
       29-00938C-24                                          20241442__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to pregnancy support services;
    3         creating s. 381.97, F.S.; providing legislative
    4         intent; establishing the Florida State Maternity
    5         Housing Grant Program within the Department of Health;
    6         requiring the program to provide certain resources;
    7         requiring the department to use grant funds for
    8         specified expenses; providing a limitation on the
    9         amount of grants awarded under the program;
   10         authorizing the department to adopt rules necessary to
   11         administer the program; providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 381.97, Florida Statutes, is created to
   16  read:
   17         381.97 Florida State Maternity Housing Grant Program.—
   18         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide housing
   19  resources for resident women and families experiencing
   20  homelessness during the prenatal period, regardless of age or
   21  marital status, whose financial resources have been determined
   22  inadequate to meet residential costs.
   23         (2) There is created within the department the Florida
   24  State Maternity Housing Grant Program to provide approved living
   25  arrangements for residents experiencing homelessness during the
   26  prenatal period.
   27         (3) The grant program shall provide resources for approved
   28  persons to reside in an alternative living arrangement for a
   29  period not to exceed 8 months, which includes a maximum of 6
   30  weeks of postpartum care.
   31         (4) The department shall use grant funds specifically
   32  appropriated for the grant program to cover expenses related to
   33  any of the following:
   34         (a) Housing in an authorized living arrangement for a
   35  period of time determined by the mother’s estimated delivery
   36  date.
   37         (b) Services recommended by the department for women and
   38  families approved for the grant program to encourage economic
   39  independence and positive health outcomes for participants.
   40         (c) Staffing and reimbursements for providers of authorized
   41  living arrangements.
   42         (d) All other related costs for the administration of the
   43  program, not to exceed five percent of the total grant funds.
   44         (5) The total amount of grants awarded may not exceed the
   45  funding appropriated for the grant program.
   46         (6) The department may adopt rules necessary to administer
   47  the program. The rules may include, but need not be limited to:
   48         (a) A framework for the payment or reimbursement of funds
   49  to the mother for authorized living arrangements.
   50         (b) Eligibility criteria for pregnant mothers and expecting
   51  families seeking maternity housing services, including a sliding
   52  fee scale for participants.
   53         (c) Requirements for maternity housing grant program
   54  applications.
   55         (d) Guidelines for assessing the appropriateness of
   56  authorized living arrangements and for a determination of
   57  approval for authorized living arrangements.
   58         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.