FL H1225

Parents or guardians are required to be responsible for restitution for damage or loss caused by their child's juvenile offense, with courts authorized to establish payment plans based on ability to pay

Courts must be notified by the clerk if restitution payments are not made or payment plans are not followed, triggering potential further court action

Parents or guardians may be absolved of restitution liability if: it is the child's first referral and they made good faith efforts to prevent delinquency; the victim is the parent/guardian themselves; they did not have custody during relevant proceedings; or the court finds other good cause

Department of Children and Families, foster parents, community-based care lead agencies, and licensed child care facilities are explicitly excluded from being considered "parents or guardians" for restitution purposes when the child is a dependent

Effective date: October 1, 2020