Bill Text: FL S0544 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Swimming Lesson Voucher Program
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2024-04-16 - Chapter No. 2024-89 [S0544 Detail]
Download: Florida-2024-S0544-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Swimming Lesson Voucher Program
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2024-04-16 - Chapter No. 2024-89 [S0544 Detail]
Download: Florida-2024-S0544-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 544 By Senator Hutson 7-00542A-24 2024544__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the Swimming Lesson Voucher 3 Program; creating s. 514.073, F.S.; creating the 4 program within the Department of Health for a 5 specified purpose; requiring the department to 6 contract with and establish a network of swimming 7 lesson vendors to participate in the program; 8 requiring the department to attempt to secure a vendor 9 in each county; requiring certain vendors to 10 participate in the program if requested by the 11 department; requiring the department to establish an 12 application process; specifying eligibility criteria 13 for the program; providing that the program is subject 14 to specific appropriation; authorizing the department 15 to seek grants or other public and private funding for 16 the program; requiring the department to adopt rules; 17 providing an effective date. 18 19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 20 21 Section 1. Section 514.073, Florida Statutes, is created to 22 read: 23 514.073 Swimming Lesson Voucher Program.— 24 (1) There is created within the department the Swimming 25 Lesson Voucher Program. The purpose of the program is to 26 increase water safety in this state by offering vouchers for 27 swimming lessons at no cost to families with an income of no 28 more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level who have one 29 or more children 4 years of age or younger. 30 (2) The department shall do all of the following to 31 implement the program: 32 (a) Contract with and establish a network of swimming 33 lesson vendors that will accept the vouchers offered by the 34 program in exchange for providing swimming lessons. To ensure 35 that the swimming lessons are available throughout this state, 36 the department must attempt to secure at least one such vendor 37 in each county. Any swimming lesson vendor that offers swimming 38 lessons at a public pool that is owned or maintained by a county 39 or municipality must, if requested by the department, 40 participate in the program. 41 (b) Establish a method for members of the public to apply 42 for swimming lesson vouchers and for determining an applicant’s 43 eligibility. The department shall establish eligibility criteria 44 necessary for a family to receive one or more vouchers from the 45 program, including, but not limited to, the following: 46 1. The age of each child for whom a voucher is being 47 sought, who may be no more than 4 years of age. 48 2. The family income level, which may be up to 200 percent 49 of the federal poverty level. 50 3. The family’s address of residency in this state. 51 (c) Subject to specific appropriation, issue vouchers to 52 eligible applicants. 53 (3) The department may seek grants or other public or 54 private funding for the program. 55 (4) The department shall adopt rules to implement the 56 program. 57 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.