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FL H0777
Bill
Status
Failed
5/5/2023
Primary Sponsor
LaVon Bracy Davis
Click for details
AI Summary
- Authorizes the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel to provide preventative, prepetition legal representation to indigent parents who are subjects of child protective investigations under s. 39.301, Florida Statutes
- Allows regional counsel to initiate or appear in related civil actions involving domestic violence injunctions, residential tenancies and housing, and determination of parentage on behalf of indigent parents seeking to safely maintain custody of their children
- Requires regional counsel to determine indigency within 5 days of initial contact by a parent under investigation, using the same application form and criteria used by the clerk of court under s. 27.52, and to cease representation and withdraw from any legal action if the person is later found to be nonindigent
- Requires child protective investigators to inform parents or legal custodians of their right to be represented by the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel during the investigation, if locally available, and to provide contact information for the local office
- Requires the department's training program for child protective responders to include instruction on informing parents of their right to legal counsel and the availability of regional counsel representation for indigent parents
- Effective date: July 1, 2023
Legislative Description
Regional Counsel Representation for Child Welfare Matters
Last Action
Died in Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee
5/5/2023
Committee Referrals
Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee2/21/2023
Full Bill Text
No bill text available