HB 1127 Florida House · 2025 Regular Session

Child Welfare

Summary

Child Welfare; Requires DCF to provide specified data to Legislature as part of certain annual report; requires DCF to maintain copies of certain assessments or tools; authorizes DCF to waive specified requirement & issue provisional certificate if there is emergency need for new domestic violence center; authorizes DCF to grant certain exemptions to standards & requirements; requires DCF to develop child protective investigator & case manager recruitment program; provides program requirements & DCF duties; removes requirement that entity post specified fidelity bond in order to serve as lead agency; provides immunity from liability for subcontractors of lead agencies for certain acts or omissions; requires DCF to develop 4-year pilot program for treatment foster care; provides requirements for pilot program; specifies that incentives provided to state employees for participating in research or evaluation with Florida Institute for Child Welfare do not violate certain laws or require certain reporting; requires DCF to convene case management workforce workgroup; provides membership, duties, & responsibilities of workgroup; requires DCF to contract for detailed study of bed capacity for residential treatment services for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 26, 2025 Last action Apr 30, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

H 1127 Filed → H 1127 c1 · 12 edits

MAJOR

The bill was substantially amended to expand its scope beyond child welfare and commercial sexual exploitation of children to include domestic violence center funding, certificate issuance authority, and exemptions for working with vulnerable populations. The bill also reorganized its structure, changing from 11 pages to 26 pages, and added new provisions for workforce development, pilot programs for treatment foster care, and immunity for subcontractors. These changes significantly broaden the bill's legislative intent and operational requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from focusing primarily on child welfare and commercial sexual exploitation of children to include domestic violence center requirements, certificate issuance authority, and exemptions for working with children or developmentally disabled individuals.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for department to maintain copies of assessments used to assess children for placement and provide them to the Legislature upon request

Added authority for department to waive requirements in emergency situations for new domestic violence centers

Added authority for department to issue provisional certificates under certain circumstances

Added authority for department to adopt rules

Removed authority for department to grant exemptions from working with children or developmentally disabled

Added authority for department to grant limited exemptions to certain minimum standards and requirements

Added amendment to remove requirement for entities to post fidelity bonds to serve as lead agencies

Added immunity from liability for subcontractors of lead agencies for certain acts or omissions

Added amendment to specify that employee incentives for research or evaluation do not violate certain laws

Added requirements for detailed study of bed capacity for residential treatment services for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation

Modified annual report requirements to include specified evaluations, findings, and recommendations

Modified pilot program requirements to include independent evaluation and final report submission to Governor and Legislature

Floor votes · House Apr 22, 2025

How they voted

22–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 27

Apr 22, 2025

D Democratic8

6 Yea 2

75% Yea

R Republican19

16 Yea 3

84% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 24, 2025

Committee

Bill referred to House Calendar

lower

Apr 22, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (22-0-5)

house

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with CS by Health & Human Services Committee

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

PCS added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Now in Health & Human Services Committee

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Health Care Budget Subcommittee

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable by Health Care Budget Subcommittee

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Added to Health Care Budget Subcommittee agenda

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Now in Health Care Budget Subcommittee

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Human Services Subcommittee

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable by Human Services Subcommittee

lower

Mar 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Added to Human Services Subcommittee agenda

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Now in Human Services Subcommittee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health & Human Services Committee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health Care Budget Subcommittee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Human Services Subcommittee

lower

2 primary · 2 co-sponsors