H 395

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  CS/HB 395  2026
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to dependent children; amending s.
339.4085, F.S.; requiring the Department of Children
4and Families and each community-based care lead agency
5to coordinate with certain organizations and meet
6quarterly for a specified purpose; authorizing such
7meeting to be in person or via teleconference or other
8electronic means; requiring such meetings to have a
9formal agenda; requiring the department and each
10community-based care lead agency to make certain
11information available on their respective websites;
12requiring, beginning in a specified year, the
13department and each community-based care lead agency
14to publish on their respective websites a biannual
15report containing specified information; providing an
16effective date.
17
18Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20Section 1.  Subsection (6) is added to section 39.4085,
21Florida Statutes, to read:
2239.4085       Goals for dependent children; responsibilities;
23education; Office of the Children's Ombudsman.—
24(6)(a)       The department shall coordinate with organizations
25that are focused on empowering children with lived experience.
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 CS/HB 395  2026
26    The department and such organizations must meet quarterly, at a
27    minimum, in person or via teleconference or other electronic
28    means to solicit input on ways to address challenges and
29    opportunities for children in the child welfare system. Each
30    meeting must have a formal agenda, and such agenda and the
31    minutes from each meeting must be made available on the
32    department's website.
33(b)     Each community-based care lead agency shall coordinate
34    with organizations that are focused on empowering children with
35    lived experience. The community-based care lead agency and such
36    organizations must meet quarterly, at a minimum, in person or
37    via teleconference or other electronic means to solicit input on
38    ways to address challenges and opportunities for children in the
39    child welfare system. Each meeting must have a formal agenda,
40    and such agenda and the minutes from each meeting must be made
41    available on the community-based care lead agency's website.
42(c)     By February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning in
43    2027, the department and each community-based care lead agency
44    must make publicly accessible on their respective websites a
45    report that outlines how the department and the community-based
46    care lead agencies have implemented the suggestions of the
47    organizations based on the meetings required in paragraphs (a)
48    and (b).
49Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
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