H 279

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  HB 279  2026
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to luggage for children placed in out-
3of-home care; providing a short title; creating s.
439.4011, F.S.; providing legislative findings and
5intent; providing construction; providing definitions;
6requiring the Department of Children and Families to
7provide certain children with a piece of luggage for
8certain purposes; providing department requirements;
9requiring the department to submit a specified annual
10report to the Legislature; providing sources of
11funding for the distribution of pieces of luggage;
12requiring the department's direct-support organization
13to receive and use funding for certain purposes;
14amending ss. 39.401 and 39.4085, F.S.; conforming
15provisions to changes made by the act; providing an
16effective date.
17
18Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20Section 1.        This act may be cited as the "Fostering with
21Dignity Act."
22Section 2.        Section 39.4011, Florida Statutes, is created
23to read:
2439.4011      Luggage for children placed in out-of-home care.—
25(1)(a)      The Legislature finds that children being placed in
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26    out-of-home care often transport their personal belongings in
27    trash bags, which intensifies emotional distress for the child
28    and reinforces his or her feelings of disposability.
29    Accordingly, the Legislature intends that every child in this
30    state being placed in out-of-home care be provided with a
31    suitable reusable bag, suitcase, or backpack in order to promote
32    dignity, emotional well-being, and stability during the child's
33    transition.
34(b)     This section must be construed to advance the dignity,
35    emotional well-being, and stability of children being placed in
36    out-of-home care. This section may not be construed to limit or
37    impede existing rights, services, or protections afforded to
38    children in out-of-home care under federal or state law.
39(2)     As used in this section, the term:
40(a)     "Community-based care lead agency" has the same
41    meaning as in s. 409.986(3).
42(b)     "Luggage" means a suitcase, duffel bag, backpack, or
43    other similar container or bag with handles that is made of
44    durable material and designed for multiple uses including
45    holding a person's personal belongings.
46(c)     "Public-private partnership" means a partnership
47    between the department and a private entity, the purpose of
48    which is to finance, build, and operate projects that serve a
49    public purpose.
50(3)     Upon taking a child into its custody pursuant to s.
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51    39.401, the department must provide each child entering out-of-
52    home care with a suitable piece of luggage for the storage and
53    transport of his or her personal belongings.
54(4)     The department shall do all of the following:
55(a)     Establish and maintain a decentralized supply of
56    luggage to be used to transport a child's personal belongings.
57(b)     Develop procedures for the storage and distribution of
58    luggage.
59(c)     Collaborate with community-based care lead agencies,
60    advocacy groups, business partners, or entities in a public-
61    private partnership with the department to coordinate logistics
62    and the distribution of pieces of luggage.
63(d)     Pursue strategic partnerships to ensure that each
64    child entering out-of-home care receives a piece of luggage to
65    store and transport the child's personal belongings. The
66    department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations
67    of any kind and from any source for purposes of this section.
68(e)     Provide a piece of luggage to a child who is being
69    removed from the child's home or changing placements. The piece
70    of luggage provided to a child under this section belongs to the
71    child and may not be reclaimed by the department or retained by
72    the person with whom the child is placed. The department is not
73    required to provide a new piece of luggage to a child who is
74    changing placements and has the piece of luggage that was
75    previously provided by the department.
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76(f)      Maintain a record of each time a trash bag is used to
77     move a child's personal belongings. The record must include the
78     reason the department did not provide the child with an
79     appropriate piece of luggage to move the child's personal
80     belongings.
81(g)      Submit to the Legislature an annual report that
82     includes the following information:
831.      The number of times a trash bag was used to transport a
84     child's personal belongings and the reason the department did
85     not provide the child with an appropriate piece of luggage.
862.      The department's luggage supply inventory and its
87     management practices for the supply of luggage maintained by the
88     department.
89(5)      Funding for the distribution of pieces of luggage to
90     children entering out-of-home care may come from any of the
91     following:
92(a)      Federal funds, including federal Title IV-E
93     assistance.
94(b)      Matching grant program agreements with or donations
95     from community and business entities.
96(c)      Public-private partnerships.
97(6)      Pursuant to s. 402.57(5)(a), the department's direct-
98     support organization shall collect the funding received under
99     subsection (5) and use such funding to help administer this
100    section.
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101Section 3.        Subsection (4) of section 39.401, Florida
102    Statutes, is amended to read:
10339.401      Taking a child alleged to be dependent into
104    custody; law enforcement officers and authorized agents of the
105    department.—
106(4)     When a child is taken into custody pursuant to this
107    section, the department shall:
108(a)     Request that the child's parent, caregiver, or legal
109    custodian disclose the names, relationships, and addresses of
110    all parents and prospective parents and all next of kin of the
111    child, so far as are known.
112(b)     Provide each child entering out-of-home care with a
113    piece of luggage, as defined in s. 39.4011, for the storage and
114    transport of his or her personal belongings.
115Section 4.        Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
116    39.4085, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
11739.4085      Goals for dependent children; responsibilities;
118    education; Office of the Children's Ombudsman.—
119(1)     The Legislature finds that the design and delivery of
120    child welfare services should be directed by the principle that
121    the health and safety of children, including the freedom from
122    abuse, abandonment, or neglect, is of paramount concern and,
123    therefore, establishes the following goals for children in
124    shelter or foster care:
125(c)     To have their privacy protected;, have their personal
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126    belongings secure and transported with them in a manner that
127    promotes their dignity, emotional well-being, and stability,
128    including the provision of at least one piece of luggage when
129    they are placed in out-of-home care;, and, unless otherwise
130    ordered by the court, have uncensored communication, including
131    receiving and sending unopened communications and having access
132    to a telephone.
133
134    This subsection establishes goals and not rights. This
135    subsection does not require the delivery of any particular
136    service or level of service in excess of existing
137    appropriations. A person does not have a cause of action against
138    the state or any of its subdivisions, agencies, contractors,
139    subcontractors, or agents, based upon the adoption of or failure
140    to provide adequate funding for the achievement of these goals
141    by the Legislature. This subsection does not require the
142    expenditure of funds to meet the goals established in this
143    subsection except those funds specifically appropriated for such
144    purpose.
145Section 5.        This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
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