Bill Text: FL S7052 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Economic Self-sufficiency
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-06 - Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 1267 [S7052 Detail]
Download: Florida-2024-S7052-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Economic Self-sufficiency
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-06 - Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 1267 [S7052 Detail]
Download: Florida-2024-S7052-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 7052 By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs 586-02949-24 20247052__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to economic self-sufficiency; amending 3 s. 414.065, F.S.; providing that a participant has 4 good cause for noncompliance with work requirements 5 for a specified time period under certain 6 circumstances; making technical changes; amending s. 7 414.105, F.S.; providing requirements for staff 8 members of local workforce development boards when 9 interviewing participants; amending s. 414.455, F.S.; 10 requiring certain persons to participate in an 11 employment and training program; making a technical 12 change; amending s. 445.009, F.S.; requiring benefit 13 management and career planning using a specified tool 14 as part of the state’s one-stop delivery system; 15 amending s. 445.011, F.S.; requiring the Department of 16 Commerce to develop certain training; conforming 17 provisions to changes made by the act; making a 18 technical change; amending s. 445.017, F.S.; requiring 19 a local workforce development board to administer an 20 intake survey; amending s. 445.024, F.S.; authorizing 21 certain participants to participate in certain 22 programs or courses for a specified number of hours 23 per week; authorizing the Department of Commerce to 24 suspend certain work requirements under certain 25 circumstances; requiring the department to issue 26 notice to participants under certain circumstances; 27 amending s. 445.028, F.S.; requiring the Department of 28 Children and Families to administer an exit survey; 29 making technical changes; creating s. 445.0281, F.S.; 30 providing voluntary case management services to 31 certain persons for specified purposes; providing 32 requirements for such case management services and 33 case managers; amending s. 445.035, F.S.; requiring 34 CareerSource Florida, Inc., in collaboration with 35 other entities, to develop standardized intake and 36 exit surveys for specified purposes; specifying when 37 such surveys must be administered; providing 38 requirements for such surveys; requiring completed 39 surveys to be submitted to CareerSource Florida, Inc., 40 and disseminated quarterly to certain departments; 41 requiring the Department of Commerce, in consultation 42 with other entities, to prepare and submit an annual 43 report to the Legislature; providing requirements for 44 such report; providing an effective date. 45 46 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 47 48 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 414.065, Florida 49 Statutes, is amended to read: 50 414.065 Noncompliance with work requirements.— 51 (1) PENALTIES FOR NONPARTICIPATION IN WORK REQUIREMENTS AND 52 FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ALTERNATIVE REQUIREMENT PLANS.—The 53 department shall establish procedures for administering 54 penalties for nonparticipation in work requirements and failure 55 to comply with the alternative requirement plan. If an 56 individual in a family receiving temporary cash assistance fails 57 to engage in work activities required in accordance with s. 58 445.024, the following penalties shall apply. BeforePrior to59 the imposition of a sanction, the participant mustshallbe 60 notified orally or in writing that the participant is subject to 61 sanction and that action will be taken to impose the sanction 62 unless the participant complies with the work activity 63 requirements. The participant mustshallbe counseled as to the 64 consequences of noncompliance and, if appropriate,shall be65 referred for services that could assist the participant to fully 66 comply with program requirements. If the participant has good 67 cause for noncompliance or demonstrates satisfactory compliance, 68 the sanction mayshallnot be imposed. If the requirements of s. 69 445.024(2)(a)1. are suspended pursuant to s. 445.024(2)(a)2., a 70 participant in noncompliance because of such suspension is 71 considered to have good cause for noncompliance for up to 6 72 weeks after the change in the participant’s work requirements. 73 If the participant has subsequently obtained employment, the 74 participant mustshallbe counseled regarding the transitional 75 benefits that may be available and provided information about 76 how to access such benefits. The department shall administer 77 sanctions related to food assistance consistent with federal 78 regulations. 79 (a)1. First noncompliance: temporary cash assistance is 80shall beterminated for the family for a minimum of 10 days or 81 until the individual who failed to comply does so. 82 2. Second noncompliance: temporary cash assistance isshall83beterminated for the family for 1 month or until the individual 84 who failed to comply does so, whichever is later. Upon meeting 85 this requirement, temporary cash assistance mustshallbe 86 reinstated to the date of compliance or the first day of the 87 month following the penalty period, whichever is later. 88 3. Third noncompliance: temporary cash assistance isshall89beterminated for the family for 3 months or until the 90 individual who failed to comply does so, whichever is later. The 91 individual mustshall be required tocomply with the required 92 work activity upon completion of the 3-month penalty period, 93 before reinstatement of temporary cash assistance. Upon meeting 94 this requirement, temporary cash assistance mustshallbe 95 reinstated to the date of compliance or the first day of the 96 month following the penalty period, whichever is later. 97 (b) If a participant receiving temporary cash assistance 98 who is otherwise exempted from noncompliance penalties fails to 99 comply with the alternative requirement plan required in 100 accordance with this section, the penalties provided in 101 paragraph (a)shallapply. 102 103 If a participant fully complies with work activity requirements 104 for at least 6 months, the participant mustshallbe reinstated 105 as being in full compliance with program requirements for 106 purpose of sanctions imposed under this section. 107 Section 2. Subsection (10) of section 414.105, Florida 108 Statutes, is amended to read: 109 414.105 Time limitations of temporary cash assistance. 110 Except as otherwise provided in this section, an applicant or 111 current participant shall receive temporary cash assistance for 112 no more than a lifetime cumulative total of 48 months, unless 113 otherwise provided by law. 114 (10) A member of the staff of the local workforce 115 development board shall interview and assess the employment 116 prospects and barriers of each participant who is within 6 117 months of reaching the 48-month time limit. The staff member 118 shall do all of the following: 119 (a) Administer the exit survey required under s. 120 445.035(2). 121 (b) Use a tool to demonstrate future financial impacts of 122 the participant’s change in income and benefits over time. 123 (c) Assist the participant in identifying actions necessary 124 to become employed before reaching the benefit time limit for 125 temporary cash assistance. 126 (d)and,If appropriate,shallrefer the participant for 127 services that could facilitate employment, including, but not 128 limited to, transitional benefits and services. 129 Section 3. Section 414.455, Florida Statutes, is amended to 130 read: 131 414.455 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; 132 legislative authorization.— 133 (1) Notwithstanding s. 414.45, and unless expressly 134 required by federal law, the department mustshallobtain 135 specific authorization from the Legislature before seeking, 136 applying for, accepting, or renewing any waiver of work 137 requirements established by the Supplemental Nutrition 138 Assistance Program under 7 U.S.C. s. 2015(o). 139 (2) Unless prohibited by the Federal Government, the 140 department must require a person who is receiving food 141 assistance; who is 18 to 59 years of age, inclusive; who does 142 not have children under the age of 18 in his or her home; who 143 does not qualify for an exemption; and who is determined by the 144 department to be eligible, to participate in an employment and 145 training program. 146 Section 4. Present paragraph (k) of subsection (1) of 147 section 445.009, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph 148 (l), and a new paragraph (k) is added to that subsection, to 149 read: 150 445.009 One-stop delivery system.— 151 (1) The one-stop delivery system is the state’s primary 152 customer-service strategy for offering every Floridian access, 153 through service sites or telephone or computer networks, to the 154 following services: 155 (k) Benefit management and career planning using a tool to 156 demonstrate future financial impacts of the participant’s change 157 in income and benefits over time. 158 Section 5. Subsections (1) and (5) of section 445.011, 159 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 160 445.011 Consumer-first workforce system.— 161 (1) The department, in consultation with the state board, 162 the Department of Education, and the Department of Children and 163 Families, shall implement, subject to legislative appropriation, 164 an automated consumer-first workforce system that improves 165 coordination among required one-stop partners and is necessary 166 for the efficient and effective operation and management of the 167 workforce development system. This system mustshallinclude, 168 but isneednotbelimited to, the following: 169 (a) An integrated management system for the one-stop 170 service delivery system, which includes, at a minimum, common 171 registration and intake for required one-stop partners, 172 screening for needs and benefits, benefit management and career 173 planning using a tool to demonstrate future financial impacts of 174 the participant’s change in income and benefits over time, case 175 management, training benefits management, service and training 176 provider management, performance reporting, executive 177 information and reporting, and customer-satisfaction tracking 178 and reporting. 179 1. The system should report current budgeting, expenditure, 180 and performance information for assessing performance related to 181 outcomes, service delivery, and financial administration for 182 workforce programs pursuant to s. 445.004(5) and (9). 183 2. The system should include auditable systems and controls 184 to ensure financial integrity and valid and reliable performance 185 information. 186 3. The system should support service integration and case 187 management across programs and agencies by providing for case 188 tracking for participants in workforce programs, participants 189 who receive benefits pursuant to public assistance programs 190 under chapter 414, and participants in welfare transition 191 programs under this chapter. 192 (b) An automated job-matching information system that is 193 accessible to employers, job seekers, and other users via the 194 Internet, and that includes, at a minimum, all of the following: 195 1. Skill match information, including skill gap analysis; 196 resume creation; job order creation; skill tests; job search by 197 area, employer type, and employer name; and training provider 198 linkage.;199 2. Job market information based on surveys, including 200 local, state, regional, national, and international occupational 201 and job availability information.; and202 3. Service provider information, including education and 203 training providers, child care facilities and related 204 information, health and social service agencies, and other 205 providers of services that would be useful to job seekers. 206 (5) The department shall develop training for required one 207 stop partners on the use of the consumer-first workforce system, 208 best practices for the use of a tool demonstrating future 209 financial impacts of the participant’s change in income and 210 benefits over time, the different case management methods, the 211 availability of welfare transition services, and how to 212 prequalify individuals for workforce programs. 213 Section 6. Subsection (4) of section 445.017, Florida 214 Statutes, is amended to read: 215 445.017 Diversion.— 216 (4)(a) The local workforce development board shall screen 217 each family on a case-by-case basis for barriers to obtaining or 218 retaining employment. The screening mustshallidentify barriers 219 that, if corrected, may prevent the family from receiving 220 temporary cash assistance on a regular basis. At the time of 221 screening, the local workforce development board shall 222 administer the intake survey required under s. 445.035(2). 223 (b) Assistance to overcome a barrier to employment is not 224 limited to cash, but may include vouchers or other in-kind 225 benefits. 226 Section 7. Subsection (2) of section 445.024, Florida 227 Statutes, is amended to read: 228 445.024 Work requirements.— 229 (2) WORK ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS.—Each individual who is not 230 otherwise exempt from work activity requirements must 231 participate in a work activity for the maximum number of hours 232 allowable under federal law; however, a participant may not be 233 required to work more than 40 hours per week. The maximum number 234 of hours each month that a family may be required to participate 235 in community service or work experience programs is the number 236 of hours that would result from dividing the family’s monthly 237 amount for temporary cash assistance and food assistance by the 238 applicable minimum wage. However, the maximum hours required per 239 week for community service or work experience may not exceed 40 240 hours. 241 (a)1. A participant who has not earned a high school 242 diploma or its equivalent may participate in adult general 243 education, as defined in s. 1004.02(3), or a high school 244 equivalency examination preparation, as defined in s. 245 1004.02(16). A participant must participate in such program or 246 course for at least 20 hours per week in order to satisfy the 247 participant’s work activity requirement. 248 2. If the state’s TANF work participation rate, as provided 249 by federal law, does not exceed the federal minimum work 250 participation rate by 10 percentage points in any month, the 251 requirements of this subsection may be suspended by the 252 department until the work participation rate exceeds the federal 253 minimum work participation rate by 10 percentage points for at 254 least 3 consecutive months. 255 3. If the requirements of this subsection are suspended, 256 the department must issue notice to the affected participants of 257 the changed work requirements within 5 days after the change in 258 such work requirements. 259 (b)(a)A participant in a work activity may also be 260 required to enroll in and attend a course of instruction 261 designed to increase literacy skills to a level necessary for 262 obtaining or retaining employment if the instruction plus the 263 work activity does not require more than 40 hours per week. 264 (c)(b)Program funds may be used, as available, to support 265 the efforts of a participant who meets the work activity 266 requirements and who wishes to enroll in or continue enrollment 267 in an adult general education program or other training 268 programs. 269 Section 8. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 445.028, 270 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 271 445.028 Transitional benefits and services.—In cooperation 272 with the department, the Department of Children and Families 273 shall develop procedures to ensure that families leaving the 274 temporary cash assistance program receive transitional benefits 275 and services that will assist the family in moving toward self 276 sufficiency. At a minimum, such procedures must include, but are 277 not limited to, the following: 278 (1) Each recipient of cash assistance who is determined 279 ineligible for cash assistance for a reason other than a work 280 activity sanction mustshallbe contacted by the workforce 281 system case manager and provided information about the 282 availability of transitional benefits and services. Such contact 283 must include the administration of the exit survey required 284 under s. 445.035(2) andshallbe attempted beforeprior to285 closure of the case management file. 286 (2) Each recipient of temporary cash assistance who is 287 determined ineligible for cash assistance due to noncompliance 288 with the work activity requirements mustshallbe contacted and 289 provided information in accordance with s. 414.065(1). Such 290 contact must include the administration of the exit survey 291 required under s. 445.035(2). 292 Section 9. Section 445.0281, Florida Statutes, is created 293 to read: 294 445.0281 Transitional case management.—Each recipient of 295 cash assistance who is determined ineligible for cash assistance 296 for a reason other than noncompliance with work activity 297 requirements is eligible for voluntary case management services 298 administered by the local workforce development board. Case 299 management services must be available to support families who 300 transition to economic self-sufficiency and to mitigate 301 dependency on cash assistance. Case management services must 302 include, but are not limited to, career planning, job search 303 assistance, resume building, basic financial planning, 304 connection to support services, and benefits management using a 305 tool to demonstrate future financial impacts of the 306 participant’s change in income and benefits over time, as 307 applicable. Case managers must connect recipients to other 308 transitional benefits as needed. 309 Section 10. Section 445.035, Florida Statutes, is amended 310 to read: 311 445.035 Data collection and reporting.— 312 (1) The Department of Children and Families and the state 313 board shall collect data necessary to administer this chapter 314 and make the reports required under federal law to the United 315 States Department of Health and Human Services and the United 316 States Department of Agriculture. 317 (2) CareerSource Florida, Inc., in collaboration with the 318 department, the Department of Children and Families, and the 319 local workforce development boards, shall develop standardized 320 intake and exit surveys for the purpose of collecting and 321 aggregating data to monitor program effectiveness, inform 322 program improvements, and allocate resources. 323 (a) The intake survey must be administered by the local 324 workforce development boards during the required diversion 325 screening process under s. 445.017. The intake survey must be 326 administered to each new recipient of temporary cash assistance 327 under chapter 414 who has not otherwise completed the survey. 328 (b) The intake survey must, at a minimum, collect 329 qualitative or quantitative data, as applicable, relating to all 330 of the following: 331 1. The recipient’s perceived individual barriers to 332 employment. 333 2. The reasons cited by the recipient for his or her 334 separation from employment in the previous 12 months. 335 3. The recipient’s stated goals for employment or 336 professional development. 337 4. The recipient’s highest level of education or 338 credentials attained or training received at the time of 339 enrollment. 340 5. The recipient’s awareness of welfare transition 341 services. 342 (c) The exit survey must be administered by the local 343 workforce development boards to recipients of temporary cash 344 assistance under chapter 414 as recipients prepare to transition 345 off of temporary cash assistance. Based on a recipient’s 346 circumstances, the exit survey must be administered to the 347 recipient at one of the following points of contact: 348 1. The recipient is approaching the statutory time 349 limitation for temporary cash assistance and is interviewed 350 pursuant to s. 414.105(10); or 351 2. At such time when the recipient becomes ineligible for 352 cash assistance and is contacted pursuant to s. 445.028. 353 (d) The exit survey must, at a minimum, collect data 354 relating to all of the following: 355 1. The recipient’s enrollment in other public benefits 356 programs at the time of exit. 357 2. Whether the recipient has a long-term career plan. 358 3. The recipient’s credentials or education attained or 359 training received during enrollment. 360 4. Barriers to the recipient’s employment which were 361 addressed during enrollment. 362 5. Any remaining barriers to the recipient’s employment. 363 (e) The completed surveys must be submitted to CareerSource 364 Florida, Inc., and anonymized data must be disseminated 365 quarterly to the department and the Department of Children and 366 Families. 367 (f) The department, in consultation with CareerSource 368 Florida, Inc., and the Department of Children and Families, 369 shall prepare and submit to the President of the Senate and the 370 Speaker of the House of Representatives a report by January 1 of 371 each year. The report must include, at a minimum, the results of 372 the intake and exit surveys, an analysis of the barriers to 373 employment experienced by the survey respondents, and any 374 recommendations for legislative and administrative changes to 375 mitigate such barriers and improve the effective use of 376 transitional benefits. 377 Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.