HB 7093 - Domestic Violence Bill Summary

• Transfers primary responsibility for managing Florida's domestic violence program from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which will administer contracts, grants, and funding distribution to certified domestic violence centers.

• Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to contract with the Coalition for delivery and management of domestic violence services while retaining oversight authority including rule development, certification approval, and monitoring of centers.

• Eliminates the Office for Certification and Monitoring of Batterers' Intervention Programs and deletes provisions requiring certification of batterers' intervention programs; instead, the Department of Children and Family Services shall promulgate guidelines for program standards without formal certification requirements.

• Requires new domestic violence centers to demonstrate unmet need in their service area to prevent duplication of services, and prohibits centers from receiving Coalition funding for services that have been exempted from certification requirements.

• Effective date: July 1, 2012.