The bill introduces significant amendments to child welfare and education laws in Florida, focusing on enhancing services for children and families. It establishes a new section, 39.3011, which defines the Family Advocacy Program and requires the Department of Children and Families to collaborate with military installations for child protective investigations involving military families. The bill also amends existing statutes to allow law enforcement to take children into custody under specific court orders and mandates the development of rules for timely access to psychotropic medications for children. Additional provisions include waiving certain requirements for domestic violence centers during emergencies, revising membership requirements for independent special districts, and granting exemptions from disqualification for specific individuals.

In the realm of child care, the bill mandates that personnel begin training within 90 days of employment and complete it within one year, with certain educational credentials allowing for exemptions. It emphasizes early literacy and language development, and outlines new licensure requirements for family foster homes and child-caring agencies, including training on human trafficking. The bill also modifies fire safety standards for residential child-caring agencies and clarifies liability for subcontractors providing foster care services. In education, it introduces new literacy course standards for K-12, aligned with evidence-based strategies, and specifies that successful completion of an emergent literacy training course will fulfill certain training requirements, while deleting a previous reference. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1626 Filed: 16.56, 39.01, 39.206, 39.401, 39.5075, 39.905, 402.305, 937.0201, 937.021, 402.30501, 1002.59
S 1626 c1: 16.56, 39.01, 39.401, 39.5075, 39.905, 402.305, 937.0201, 937.021, 402.30501, 1002.59
S 1626 c2: 39.401, 39.905, 402.305, 937.0201, 937.021, 402.30501, 1002.59
S 1626 c3: 39.401, 39.407, 39.905, 402.305, 937.0201, 937.021, 402.30501, 1002.59