THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
FOSTER KIDS ADOPTION BILL HEADED TO SENATE FLOOR
With backing from Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, lawmakers are moving quickly to approve a plan that would provide incentives for families to adopt children in the foster-care system. The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on Thursday unanimously approved the plan (SB 320), filed by Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville. The bill will now move to the full Senate. Similarly, the House Health Care Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved the House version of the bill (HB 7013), which is poised to go to the full House. Gardiner and Crisafulli included the adoption issue in a list of priorities they outlined before the legislative session. In part, the plan would offer $10,000 payments to state employees who adopt special-needs children from the foster-care system and $5,000 payments to state employees who adopt other foster children. Gaetz described encouraging adoption as a “moral issue” because children want and need permanent homes.
SENATE BACKS $3.3M FOR TEEN INJURED BY TREE LIMB
A Senate committee Thursday approved a bill that would lead to the city of Jacksonville paying $3.3 million to compensate the family of a teenager who was left paralyzed after being crushed by a large tree limb. The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee voted 10-1 to approve the bill (SB 22), which is now ready to go to the full Senate. The bill stems from a 2011 incident in which a tree limb fell and crushed 15-year-old Aubrey Stewart. Bill sponsor Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said the city had received multiple complaints about the conditions of trees but did not take action before Stewart was injured. The city agreed to a $3.5 million settlement with Stewart’s family, but the state’s sovereign-immunity laws placed a $200,000 limit on what could be paid. That led to Bradley filing what is known as a “claim” bill that would direct the city to pay the remaining $3.3 million. “These are people of very modest means,” Bradley said of the family. “This will not make them rich.” Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, cast the only dissenting vote.
