FL H7111

Private child-placing agencies are not required to place children or facilitate foster home licensure if doing so would violate the agency's written religious or moral convictions or policies.

The Department of Children and Families cannot deny, deny renewal of, or revoke licenses for private child-placing agencies or their affiliated foster homes or residential child-caring agencies based on refusal to place children due to religious or moral objections.

State and local governments and community-based care lead agencies cannot withhold grants, contracts, or government program participation from private child-placing agencies or affiliated homes based on such refusal to place children.

Refusals to place children based on religious or moral convictions do not provide grounds for claims of injunctive relief, compensatory damages, or punitive damages against the agency or its personnel.

This subsection preempts all county, municipal, district, and state laws, ordinances, regulations, rules, or policies that contradict these protections.

Effective date: July 1, 2015.