Florida Senate - 2025               CS for CS for CS for SB 1626
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Fiscal Policy; the Appropriations Committee
       on Health and Human Services; the Committee on Children,
       Families, and Elder Affairs; and Senator Grall
       
       
       
       594-03196-25                                          20251626c3
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to child welfare; creating s. 39.3011,
    3         F.S.; defining the term “Family Advocacy Program”;
    4         requiring the Department of Children and Families to
    5         enter into agreements with certain military
    6         installations for child protective investigations
    7         involving military families; providing requirements
    8         for such agreements; amending s. 39.401, F.S.;
    9         authorizing a law enforcement officer or an authorized
   10         agent of the department to take a child into custody
   11         who is the subject of a specified court order;
   12         amending s. 39.407, F.S.; requiring the department to
   13         develop rules to include a specific process to ensure
   14         children receive timely access to clinically
   15         appropriate psychotropic medications; amending s.
   16         39.905, F.S.; authorizing the department to waive a
   17         specified requirement if there is an emergency need
   18         for a new domestic violence center, to issue a
   19         provisional certification to such center under certain
   20         circumstances, and to adopt rules relating to
   21         provisional certifications; amending s. 125.901, F.S.;
   22         revising membership requirements for the governing
   23         bodies of certain independent special districts;
   24         authorizing the county governing body to select an
   25         interim appointment for a vacancy under certain
   26         circumstances; revising the terms for certain members
   27         of the districts’ governing bodies; amending s.
   28         402.305, F.S.; authorizing the department to grant
   29         certain exemptions from disqualification for certain
   30         persons; amending s. 409.145, F.S.; requiring the
   31         department to establish a methodology to determine
   32         daily room and board rates for certain children by a
   33         date certain, which may include different rates based
   34         on a child’s acuity level or the geographic location
   35         of the residential child-caring agency; requiring the
   36         department to adopt rules; amending s. 409.175, F.S.;
   37         authorizing the department to grant certain exemptions
   38         from disqualification for certain persons; authorizing
   39         the department to extend the expiration date of a
   40         license by a specified amount of time for a certain
   41         purpose; amending s. 409.993, F.S.; specifying that
   42         subcontractors of lead agencies that are direct
   43         providers of foster care and related services are not
   44         liable for certain acts or omissions; providing that
   45         certain contract provisions are void and
   46         unenforceable; amending s. 553.73, F.S.; prohibiting
   47         the Florida Building Commission from mandating the
   48         installation of fire sprinklers or a fire suppression
   49         system in certain agencies licensed by the department;
   50         amending s. 633.208, F.S.; providing that certain
   51         residential child-caring agencies are not required to
   52         install fire sprinklers or a fire suppression system
   53         under certain circumstances; amending s. 937.0201,
   54         F.S.; revising the definition of the term “missing
   55         child”; amending s. 937.021, F.S.; specifying the
   56         entity with jurisdiction for accepting missing child
   57         reports under certain circumstances; amending ss.
   58         402.30501, 1002.57, and 1002.59, F.S.; conforming
   59         cross-references; providing an effective date.
   60          
   61  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   62  
   63         Section 1. Section 39.3011, Florida Statutes, is created to
   64  read:
   65         39.3011Protective investigations involving military
   66  families.—
   67         (1)For purposes of this section, the term “Family Advocacy
   68  Program” means the program established by the United States
   69  Department of Defense to address child abuse, abandonment, and
   70  neglect in military families.
   71         (2)The department shall enter into an agreement for child
   72  protective investigations involving military families with the
   73  Family Advocacy Program, or any successor program, of each
   74  United States military installation located in this state. Such
   75  agreement must include procedures for all of the following:
   76         (a)Identifying the military personnel alleged to have
   77  committed the child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.
   78         (b)Notifying and sharing information with the military
   79  installation when a child protective investigation implicating
   80  military personnel has been initiated.
   81         (c)Maintaining confidentiality as required under state and
   82  federal law.
   83         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 39.401, Florida
   84  Statutes, is amended to read:
   85         39.401 Taking a child alleged to be dependent into custody;
   86  law enforcement officers and authorized agents of the
   87  department.—
   88         (1) A child may only be taken into custody:
   89         (a) Pursuant to the provisions of this part, based upon
   90  sworn testimony, either before or after a petition is filed; or
   91         (b) By a law enforcement officer, or an authorized agent of
   92  the department, if the officer or authorized agent has probable
   93  cause to support a finding that the:
   94         1. That the Child has been abused, neglected, or abandoned,
   95  or is suffering from or is in imminent danger of illness or
   96  injury as a result of abuse, neglect, or abandonment;
   97         2.Child is the subject of a court order to take the child
   98  into the custody of the department;
   99         3.2.That the Parent or legal custodian of the child has
  100  materially violated a condition of placement imposed by the
  101  court; or
  102         4.3.That the Child has no parent, legal custodian, or
  103  responsible adult relative immediately known and available to
  104  provide supervision and care.
  105         Section 3. Paragraph (g) of subsection (3) of section
  106  39.407, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  107         39.407 Medical, psychiatric, and psychological examination
  108  and treatment of child; physical, mental, or substance abuse
  109  examination of person with or requesting child custody.—
  110         (3)
  111         (g) The department must shall adopt rules to ensure that
  112  children receive timely access to clinically appropriate
  113  psychotropic medications. These rules must include, but need not
  114  be limited to, the process for determining which adjunctive
  115  services are needed, the uniform process for facilitating the
  116  prescribing physician’s or psychiatric nurse’s ability to obtain
  117  the express and informed consent of a child’s parent or
  118  guardian, the procedures for obtaining court authorization for
  119  the provision of a psychotropic medication, the frequency of
  120  medical monitoring and reporting on the status of the child to
  121  the court, how the child’s parents will be involved in the
  122  treatment-planning process if their parental rights have not
  123  been terminated, and how caretakers are to be provided
  124  information contained in the physician’s or psychiatric nurse’s
  125  signed medical report, and the procedures to allow caretakers to
  126  schedule and facilitate medical appointments to ensure timely
  127  access to and the management of existing psychotropic medication
  128  prescriptions. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term
  129  caretaker means a person or entity in physical custody of a
  130  child placed pursuant to s. 39.401, to include a representative
  131  of a licensed child-caring agency or emergency shelter. The
  132  rules must also include uniform forms to be used in requesting
  133  court authorization for the use of a psychotropic medication and
  134  provide for the integration of each child’s treatment plan and
  135  case plan. The department must begin the formal rulemaking
  136  process within 90 days after the effective date of this act.
  137         Section 4. Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
  138  39.905, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  139         39.905 Domestic violence centers.—
  140         (1) Domestic violence centers certified under this part
  141  must:
  142         (h) Demonstrate local need and ability to sustain
  143  operations through a history of 18 consecutive months’ operation
  144  as a domestic violence center, including 12 months’ operation of
  145  an emergency shelter as provided in paragraph (c), and a
  146  business plan which addresses future operations and funding of
  147  future operations. The department may waive this requirement if
  148  there is an emergency need for a new domestic violence center to
  149  provide services in an area and no other viable options exist to
  150  ensure continuity of services. If there is an emergency need,
  151  the department may issue a provisional certification to the
  152  domestic violence center as long as the center meets all other
  153  criteria in this subsection. The department may adopt rules to
  154  provide minimum standards for a provisional certificate,
  155  including increased monitoring and site visits and the time
  156  period that such certificate is valid.
  157         Section 5. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
  158  section 125.901, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  159         125.901 Children’s services; independent special district;
  160  council; powers, duties, and functions; public records
  161  exemption.—
  162         (1) Each county may by ordinance create an independent
  163  special district, as defined in ss. 189.012 and 200.001(8)(e),
  164  to provide funding for children’s services throughout the county
  165  in accordance with this section. The boundaries of such district
  166  shall be coterminous with the boundaries of the county. The
  167  county governing body shall obtain approval at a general
  168  election, as defined in s. 97.021, by a majority vote of those
  169  electors voting on the question, to annually levy ad valorem
  170  taxes which shall not exceed the maximum millage rate authorized
  171  by this section. Any district created pursuant to the provisions
  172  of this subsection shall be required to levy and fix millage
  173  subject to the provisions of s. 200.065. Once such millage is
  174  approved by the electorate, the district shall not be required
  175  to seek approval of the electorate in future years to levy the
  176  previously approved millage. However, a referendum to increase
  177  the millage rate previously approved by the electors must be
  178  held at a general election, and the referendum may be held only
  179  once during the 48-month period preceding the effective date of
  180  the increased millage.
  181         (a) The governing body of the district shall be a council
  182  on children’s services, which may also be known as a juvenile
  183  welfare board or similar name as established in the ordinance by
  184  the county governing body. Such council shall consist of 10
  185  members, including the superintendent of schools; a local school
  186  board member; a representative the district administrator from
  187  the appropriate district of the Department of Children and
  188  Families, or his or her designee who is a member of the Senior
  189  Management Service or of the Selected Exempt Service; one member
  190  of the county governing body; and the judge assigned to juvenile
  191  cases who shall sit as a voting member of the board, except that
  192  said judge shall not vote or participate in the setting of ad
  193  valorem taxes under this section. If there is more than one
  194  judge assigned to juvenile cases in a county, the chief judge
  195  shall designate one of said juvenile judges to serve on the
  196  board. The remaining five members shall be appointed by the
  197  Governor, and shall, to the extent possible, represent the
  198  demographic makeup diversity of the population of the county.
  199  After soliciting recommendations from the public, the county
  200  governing body shall submit to the Governor recommendations the
  201  names of at least three persons for each vacancy occurring among
  202  the five members appointed by the Governor, and the Governor may
  203  shall appoint members to the council from the candidates
  204  nominated by the county governing body. The Governor shall make
  205  a selection within a 45-day period, but if the Governor fails to
  206  make an appointment within the 45-day period, the county
  207  governing body may select an interim appointment for each
  208  vacancy from the recommendations submitted to the Governor or
  209  request a new list of candidates. All members recommended by the
  210  county governing body and appointed by the Governor must shall
  211  have been residents of the county for the previous 24-month
  212  period. Such members shall be appointed for 4-year terms, except
  213  that the length of the terms of the initial appointees shall be
  214  adjusted to stagger the terms. The Governor may remove a member
  215  for cause or upon the written petition of the county governing
  216  body. If any of the members of the council required to be
  217  appointed by the Governor under the provisions of this
  218  subsection resigns, dies, or is shall resign, die, or be removed
  219  from office, the vacancy thereby created shall, as soon as
  220  practicable, be filled by appointment by the Governor, using the
  221  same method as the original appointment, and such appointment to
  222  fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term of the person who
  223  resigns, dies, or is removed from office.
  224         (b) However, any county as defined in s. 125.011(1) may
  225  instead have a governing body consisting of 33 members,
  226  including the superintendent of schools, or his or her designee;
  227  two representatives of public postsecondary education
  228  institutions located in the county; the county manager or the
  229  equivalent county officer, or his or her designee; the district
  230  administrator from the appropriate district of the Department of
  231  Children and Families, or the administrator’s designee who is a
  232  member of the Senior Management Service or the Selected Exempt
  233  Service; the director of the county health department or the
  234  director’s designee; the state attorney for the county or the
  235  state attorney’s designee; the chief judge assigned to juvenile
  236  cases, or another juvenile judge who is the chief judge’s
  237  designee and who shall sit as a voting member of the board,
  238  except that the judge may not vote or participate in setting ad
  239  valorem taxes under this section; an individual who is selected
  240  by the board of the local United Way or its equivalent; a member
  241  of a locally recognized faith-based coalition, selected by that
  242  coalition; a member of the local chamber of commerce, selected
  243  by that chamber or, if more than one chamber exists within the
  244  county, a person selected by a coalition of the local chambers;
  245  a member of the early learning coalition, selected by that
  246  coalition; a representative of a labor organization or union
  247  active in the county; a member of a local alliance or coalition
  248  engaged in cross-system planning for health and social service
  249  delivery in the county, selected by that alliance or coalition;
  250  a member of the local Parent-Teachers Association/Parent
  251  Teacher-Student Association, selected by that association; a
  252  youth representative selected by the local school system’s
  253  student government; a local school board member appointed by the
  254  chair of the school board; the mayor of the county or the
  255  mayor’s designee; one member of the county governing body,
  256  appointed by the chair of that body; a member of the state
  257  Legislature who represents residents of the county, selected by
  258  the chair of the local legislative delegation; an elected
  259  official representing the residents of a municipality in the
  260  county, selected by the county municipal league; and 5 4
  261  members-at-large, appointed to the council by the majority of
  262  sitting council members. The remaining seven members shall be
  263  appointed by the Governor in accordance with procedures set
  264  forth in paragraph (a), except that the Governor may remove a
  265  member for cause or upon the written petition of the council.
  266  Appointments by the Governor must, to the extent reasonably
  267  possible, represent the geographic and demographic makeup
  268  diversity of the population of the county. Members who are
  269  appointed to the council by reason of their position are not
  270  subject to the length of terms and limits on consecutive terms
  271  as provided in this section. The remaining appointed members of
  272  the governing body shall be appointed to serve 3-year 2-year
  273  terms, except that those members appointed by the Governor shall
  274  be appointed to serve 4-year terms, and the youth representative
  275  and the legislative delegate shall be appointed to serve 1-year
  276  terms. A member may be reappointed; however, a member may not
  277  serve for more than three consecutive terms. A member is
  278  eligible to be appointed again after a 2-year hiatus from the
  279  council.
  280         Section 6. Subsection (2) of section 402.305, Florida
  281  Statutes, is amended to read:
  282         402.305 Licensing standards; child care facilities.—
  283         (2) PERSONNEL.—Minimum standards for child care personnel
  284  shall include minimum requirements as to:
  285         (a) Good moral character based upon screening as defined in
  286  s. 402.302(15). This screening shall be conducted as provided in
  287  chapter 435, using the level 2 standards for screening set forth
  288  in that chapter, and include employment history checks, a search
  289  of criminal history records, sexual predator and sexual offender
  290  registries, and child abuse and neglect registry of any state in
  291  which the current or prospective child care personnel resided
  292  during the preceding 5 years.
  293         (b) Fingerprint submission for child care personnel, which
  294  shall comply with s. 435.12.
  295         (c) The department may grant exemptions from
  296  disqualification from working with children or the
  297  developmentally disabled as provided in s. 435.07.
  298         (d) Minimum age requirements. Such minimum standards shall
  299  prohibit a person under the age of 21 from being the operator of
  300  a child care facility and a person under the age of 16 from
  301  being employed at such facility unless such person is under
  302  direct supervision and is not counted for the purposes of
  303  computing the personnel-to-child ratio.
  304         (d)(e) Minimum training requirements for child care
  305  personnel.
  306         1. Such minimum standards for training shall ensure that
  307  all child care personnel take an approved 40-clock-hour
  308  introductory course in child care, which course covers at least
  309  the following topic areas:
  310         a. State and local rules and regulations which govern child
  311  care.
  312         b. Health, safety, and nutrition.
  313         c. Identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect.
  314         d. Child development, including typical and atypical
  315  language, cognitive, motor, social, and self-help skills
  316  development.
  317         e. Observation of developmental behaviors, including using
  318  a checklist or other similar observation tools and techniques to
  319  determine the child’s developmental age level.
  320         f. Specialized areas, including computer technology for
  321  professional and classroom use and early literacy and language
  322  development of children from birth to 5 years of age, as
  323  determined by the department, for owner-operators and child care
  324  personnel of a child care facility.
  325         g. Developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum
  326  disorder and Down syndrome, and early identification, use of
  327  available state and local resources, classroom integration, and
  328  positive behavioral supports for children with developmental
  329  disabilities.
  330  
  331  Within 90 days after employment, child care personnel shall
  332  begin training to meet the training requirements. Child care
  333  personnel shall successfully complete such training within 1
  334  year after the date on which the training began, as evidenced by
  335  passage of a competency examination. Successful completion of
  336  the 40-clock-hour introductory course shall articulate into
  337  community college credit in early childhood education, pursuant
  338  to ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25. Exemption from all or a portion of
  339  the required training shall be granted to child care personnel
  340  based upon educational credentials or passage of competency
  341  examinations. Child care personnel possessing a 2-year degree or
  342  higher that includes 6 college credit hours in early childhood
  343  development or child growth and development, or a child
  344  development associate credential or an equivalent state-approved
  345  child development associate credential, or a child development
  346  associate waiver certificate shall be automatically exempted
  347  from the training requirements in sub-subparagraphs b., d., and
  348  e.
  349         2. The introductory course in child care shall stress, to
  350  the extent possible, an interdisciplinary approach to the study
  351  of children.
  352         3. The introductory course shall cover recognition and
  353  prevention of shaken baby syndrome; prevention of sudden infant
  354  death syndrome; recognition and care of infants and toddlers
  355  with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum
  356  disorder and Down syndrome; and early childhood brain
  357  development within the topic areas identified in this paragraph.
  358         4. On an annual basis in order to further their child care
  359  skills and, if appropriate, administrative skills, child care
  360  personnel who have fulfilled the requirements for the child care
  361  training shall be required to take an additional 1 continuing
  362  education unit of approved inservice training, or 10 clock hours
  363  of equivalent training, as determined by the department.
  364         5. Child care personnel shall be required to complete 0.5
  365  continuing education unit of approved training or 5 clock hours
  366  of equivalent training, as determined by the department, in
  367  early literacy and language development of children from birth
  368  to 5 years of age one time. The year that this training is
  369  completed, it shall fulfill the 0.5 continuing education unit or
  370  5 clock hours of the annual training required in subparagraph 4.
  371         6. Procedures for ensuring the training of qualified child
  372  care professionals to provide training of child care personnel,
  373  including onsite training, shall be included in the minimum
  374  standards. It is recommended that the state community child care
  375  coordination agencies (central agencies) be contracted by the
  376  department to coordinate such training when possible. Other
  377  district educational resources, such as community colleges and
  378  career programs, can be designated in such areas where central
  379  agencies may not exist or are determined not to have the
  380  capability to meet the coordination requirements set forth by
  381  the department.
  382         7. Training requirements shall not apply to certain
  383  occasional or part-time support staff, including, but not
  384  limited to, swimming instructors, piano teachers, dance
  385  instructors, and gymnastics instructors.
  386         8. The child care operator shall be required to take basic
  387  training in serving children with disabilities within 5 years
  388  after employment, either as a part of the introductory training
  389  or the annual 8 hours of inservice training.
  390         (e)(f) Periodic health examinations.
  391         (f)(g) A credential for child care facility directors. The
  392  credential shall be a required minimum standard for licensing.
  393  
  394  The department may grant limited exemptions authorizing a person
  395  to work in a specified role or with a specified population.
  396         Section 7. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (3) of
  397  section 409.145, Florida Statutes, to read:
  398         409.145 Care of children; “reasonable and prudent parent”
  399  standard.—The child welfare system of the department shall
  400  operate as a coordinated community-based system of care which
  401  empowers all caregivers for children in foster care to provide
  402  quality parenting, including approving or disapproving a child’s
  403  participation in activities based on the caregiver’s assessment
  404  using the “reasonable and prudent parent” standard.
  405         (3) ROOM AND BOARD RATES.—
  406         (e)By July 1, 2026, the department shall, in coordination
  407  with its providers, establish a methodology to determine daily
  408  room and board rates for children in out-of-home care who are
  409  placed in a residential child-caring agency as defined in s.
  410  409.175(2)(l). The methodology may produce different payment
  411  rates based on factors including, but not limited to, the acuity
  412  level of the child being placed and the geographic location of
  413  the residential child-caring agency. The department shall adopt
  414  rules to implement this paragraph.
  415         Section 8. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5), subsection (7),
  416  and paragraph (e) of subsection (14) of section 409.175, Florida
  417  Statutes, are amended to read:
  418         409.175 Licensure of family foster homes, residential
  419  child-caring agencies, and child-placing agencies; public
  420  records exemption.—
  421         (5) The department shall adopt and amend rules for the
  422  levels of licensed care associated with the licensure of family
  423  foster homes, residential child-caring agencies, and child
  424  placing agencies. The rules may include criteria to approve
  425  waivers to licensing requirements when applying for a child
  426  specific license.
  427         (b) The requirements for licensure and operation of family
  428  foster homes, residential child-caring agencies, and child
  429  placing agencies shall include:
  430         1. The operation, conduct, and maintenance of these homes
  431  and agencies and the responsibility which they assume for
  432  children served and the evidence of need for that service.
  433         2. The provision of food, clothing, educational
  434  opportunities, services, equipment, and individual supplies to
  435  assure the healthy physical, emotional, and mental development
  436  of the children served.
  437         3. The appropriateness, safety, cleanliness, and general
  438  adequacy of the premises, including fire prevention and health
  439  standards, to provide for the physical comfort, care, and well
  440  being of the children served.
  441         4. The ratio of staff to children required to provide
  442  adequate care and supervision of the children served and, in the
  443  case of family foster homes, the maximum number of children in
  444  the home.
  445         5. The good moral character based upon screening,
  446  education, training, and experience requirements for personnel
  447  and family foster homes.
  448         6. The department may grant exemptions from
  449  disqualification from working with children or the
  450  developmentally disabled as provided in s. 435.07.
  451         7. The provision of preservice and inservice training for
  452  all foster parents and agency staff.
  453         7.8. Satisfactory evidence of financial ability to provide
  454  care for the children in compliance with licensing requirements.
  455         8.9. The maintenance by the agency of records pertaining to
  456  admission, progress, health, and discharge of children served,
  457  including written case plans and reports to the department.
  458         9.10. The provision for parental involvement to encourage
  459  preservation and strengthening of a child’s relationship with
  460  the family.
  461         10.11. The transportation safety of children served.
  462         11.12. The provisions for safeguarding the cultural,
  463  religious, and ethnic values of a child.
  464         12.13. Provisions to safeguard the legal rights of children
  465  served.
  466         13.14. Requiring signs to be conspicuously placed on the
  467  premises of facilities maintained by child-caring agencies to
  468  warn children of the dangers of human trafficking and to
  469  encourage the reporting of individuals observed attempting to
  470  engage in human trafficking activity. The signs must advise
  471  children to report concerns to the local law enforcement agency
  472  or the Department of Law Enforcement, specifying the appropriate
  473  telephone numbers used for such reports. The department shall
  474  specify, at a minimum, the content of the signs by rule.
  475  
  476  The department may grant limited exemptions authorizing a person
  477  to work in a specified role or with a specified population.
  478         (7) The department may extend a license expiration date
  479  once for a period of up to 90 30 days to allow for the
  480  implementation of corrective measures. However, the department
  481  may not extend a license expiration date more than once during a
  482  licensure period.
  483         (14)
  484         (e)1. In addition to any other preservice training required
  485  by law, foster parents, as a condition of licensure, and agency
  486  staff must successfully complete preservice training related to
  487  human trafficking which must be uniform statewide and must
  488  include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
  489         a. Basic information on human trafficking, such as an
  490  understanding of relevant terminology, and the differences
  491  between sex trafficking and labor trafficking.;
  492         b. Factors and knowledge on identifying children at risk of
  493  human trafficking.; and
  494         c. Steps that should be taken to prevent at-risk youths
  495  from becoming victims of human trafficking.
  496         2. Foster parents, before licensure renewal, and agency
  497  staff, during each full year of employment, must complete
  498  inservice training related to human trafficking to satisfy the
  499  training requirement under subparagraph (5)(b)6 (5)(b)7.
  500         Section 9. Present paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of
  501  section 409.993, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph
  502  (c), a new paragraph (b) is added to that subsection, and
  503  paragraph (a) of that subsection is amended, to read:
  504         409.993 Lead agencies and subcontractor liability.—
  505         (3) SUBCONTRACTOR LIABILITY.—
  506         (a) A subcontractor of an eligible community-based care
  507  lead agency that is a direct provider of foster care and related
  508  services to children and families, and its employees or
  509  officers, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) (b),
  510  must, as a part of its contract, obtain a minimum of $1 million
  511  per occurrence with a policy period aggregate limit of $3
  512  million in general liability insurance coverage. The
  513  subcontractor of a lead agency must also require that staff who
  514  transport client children and families in their personal
  515  automobiles in order to carry out their job responsibilities
  516  obtain minimum bodily injury liability insurance in the amount
  517  of $100,000 per person in any one automobile accident, and
  518  subject to such limits for each person, $300,000 for all damages
  519  resulting from any one automobile accident, on their personal
  520  automobiles. In lieu of personal motor vehicle insurance, the
  521  subcontractor’s casualty, liability, or motor vehicle insurance
  522  carrier may provide nonowned automobile liability coverage. This
  523  insurance provides liability insurance for automobiles that the
  524  subcontractor uses in connection with the subcontractor’s
  525  business but does not own, lease, rent, or borrow. This coverage
  526  includes automobiles owned by the employees of the subcontractor
  527  or a member of the employee’s household but only while the
  528  automobiles are used in connection with the subcontractor’s
  529  business. The nonowned automobile coverage for the subcontractor
  530  applies as excess coverage over any other collectible insurance.
  531  The personal automobile policy for the employee of the
  532  subcontractor shall be primary insurance, and the nonowned
  533  automobile coverage of the subcontractor acts as excess
  534  insurance to the primary insurance. The subcontractor shall
  535  provide a minimum limit of $1 million in nonowned automobile
  536  coverage. In a tort action brought against such subcontractor or
  537  employee, net economic damages shall be limited to $2 million
  538  per liability claim and $200,000 per automobile claim,
  539  including, but not limited to, past and future medical expenses,
  540  wage loss, and loss of earning capacity, offset by any
  541  collateral source payment paid or payable. In a tort action
  542  brought against such subcontractor, noneconomic damages shall be
  543  limited to $400,000 per claim. A claims bill may be brought on
  544  behalf of a claimant pursuant to s. 768.28 for any amount
  545  exceeding the limits specified in this paragraph. Any offset of
  546  collateral source payments made as of the date of the settlement
  547  or judgment shall be in accordance with s. 768.76.
  548         (b)A subcontractor of a lead agency that is a direct
  549  provider of foster care and related services is not liable for
  550  the acts or omissions of the lead agency; the department; or the
  551  officers, agents, or employees of the lead agency or the
  552  department. Any provision in a contract between a subcontractor
  553  and a lead agency which is in conflict with this paragraph is
  554  void and unenforceable.
  555         Section 10. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (20) of
  556  section 553.73, Florida Statutes, to read:
  557         553.73 Florida Building Code.—
  558         (20) The Florida Building Commission may not:
  559         (c)Mandate the installation of fire sprinklers or a fire
  560  suppression system in a residential child-caring agency licensed
  561  by the Department of Children and Families under s. 409.175
  562  which operates in a single-family residential property that is
  563  licensed for a capacity of five or fewer children who are
  564  unrelated to the licensee.
  565         Section 11. Subsection (12) is added to section 633.208,
  566  Florida Statutes, to read:
  567         633.208 Minimum firesafety standards.—
  568         (12)Notwithstanding subsection (8), a residential child
  569  caring agency licensed by the Department of Children and
  570  Families under s. 409.175 which operates in a single-family
  571  residential property that is licensed for a capacity of five or
  572  fewer children who are unrelated to the licensee is not required
  573  to install fire sprinklers or a fire suppression system as long
  574  as the licensee meets the requirements for portable fire
  575  extinguishers, fire alarms, and smoke detectors under this
  576  chapter.
  577         Section 12. Subsection (3) of section 937.0201, Florida
  578  Statutes, is amended to read:
  579         937.0201 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
  580         (3) “Missing child” means a person younger than 18 years of
  581  age whose temporary or permanent residence is in, or is believed
  582  to be in, this state, whose location has not been determined,
  583  and who has been reported as missing to a law enforcement
  584  agency. The term includes a child who is the subject of a court
  585  order to take the child into the custody of the Department of
  586  Children and Families.
  587         Section 13. Subsection (3) of section 937.021, Florida
  588  Statutes, is amended to read:
  589         937.021 Missing child and missing adult reports.—
  590         (3) A report that a child or adult is missing must be
  591  accepted by and filed with the law enforcement agency having
  592  jurisdiction in the county or municipality in which the child or
  593  adult was last seen. The filing and acceptance of the report
  594  imposes the duties specified in this section upon the law
  595  enforcement agency receiving the report. This subsection does
  596  not preclude a law enforcement agency from accepting a missing
  597  child or missing adult report when agency jurisdiction cannot be
  598  determined. If agency jurisdiction cannot be determined for
  599  cases in which there is a child who is the subject of a court
  600  order to take the child into the custody of the Department of
  601  Children and Families, the sheriff’s office of the county in
  602  which the court order was entered must take jurisdiction.
  603         Section 14. Section 402.30501, Florida Statutes, is amended
  604  to read:
  605         402.30501 Modification of introductory child care course
  606  for community college credit authorized.—The Department of
  607  Children and Families may modify the 40-clock-hour introductory
  608  course in child care under s. 402.305 or s. 402.3131 to meet the
  609  requirements of articulating the course to community college
  610  credit. Any modification must continue to provide that the
  611  course satisfies the requirements of s. 402.305(2)(d) s.
  612  402.305(2)(e).
  613         Section 15. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 1002.57,
  614  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  615         1002.57 Prekindergarten director credential.—
  616         (3) The prekindergarten director credential must meet or
  617  exceed the requirements of the Department of Children and
  618  Families for the child care facility director credential under
  619  s. 402.305(2)(f) s. 402.305(2)(g), and successful completion of
  620  the prekindergarten director credential satisfies these
  621  requirements for the child care facility director credential.
  622         (4) The department shall, to the maximum extent
  623  practicable, award credit to a person who successfully completes
  624  the child care facility director credential under s.
  625  402.305(2)(f) s. 402.305(2)(g) for those requirements of the
  626  prekindergarten director credential which are duplicative of
  627  requirements for the child care facility director credential.
  628         Section 16. Subsection (1) of section 1002.59, Florida
  629  Statutes, is amended to read:
  630         1002.59 Emergent literacy and performance standards
  631  training courses.—
  632         (1) The department, in collaboration with the Just Read,
  633  Florida! Office, shall adopt minimum standards for courses in
  634  emergent literacy for prekindergarten instructors. Each course
  635  must consist of 5 clock hours and provide instruction in
  636  strategies and techniques to address the age-appropriate
  637  progress of prekindergarten students in developing emergent
  638  literacy skills, including oral communication, knowledge of
  639  print and letters, phonological and phonemic awareness,
  640  vocabulary and comprehension development, and foundational
  641  background knowledge designed to correlate with the content that
  642  students will encounter in grades K-12, consistent with the
  643  evidence-based content and strategies grounded in the science of
  644  reading identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(7). The course
  645  standards must be reviewed as part of any review of subject
  646  coverage or endorsement requirements in the elementary, reading,
  647  and exceptional student educational areas conducted pursuant to
  648  s. 1012.586. Each course must also provide resources containing
  649  strategies that allow students with disabilities and other
  650  special needs to derive maximum benefit from the Voluntary
  651  Prekindergarten Education Program. Successful completion of an
  652  emergent literacy training course approved under this section
  653  satisfies requirements for approved training in early literacy
  654  and language development under ss. 402.305(2)(d)5. ss.
  655  402.305(2)(e)5., 402.313(6), and 402.3131(5).
  656         Section 17. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.