Drew Wilson
A trio of bills that would help disabled Floridians find employment and manage their personal finances cleared their Senate committee stops Tuesday, all with unanimous votes.
The bills – SB 376, SB 388 and SB 7010 – are collectively known as the “cradle to career pathway” in the upper chamber, an initiative aimed at improving economic independence among the developmentally disabled. After Tuesday, each of the bills has passed two of their three committee assignments, and will likely be ready for a floor vote when Session begins in January.
“I am pleased to see these elements of our cradle to career pathway to economic independence for people with unique abilities move one step closer to the Senate floor,” Senate President Andy Gardiner said in a prepared statement. “Instead of focusing on limitations, these bills celebrate the fact that each person is blessed with unique gifts and talents that can benefit businesses and contribute to communities across Florida. We should encourage and challenge people with unique abilities to utilize all of the resources our state has to offer as they journey toward economic independence.”
Sponsored by Port Orange Republican Sen. Dorothy Hukill, SB 376 would have the Department of Financial Services create a financial education program with a curriculum geared toward helping the developmentally disabled navigate their personal finances, how their income may change eligibility for government aid, as well as health and retirement options available through their work.
The program, which would receive $137,000 a year in recurring funding, was easily by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government.
Sen. Alan Hays’ committee also approved SB 7010, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Ring’s Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability. That bill would change employment policies for state positions to help disabled job seekers gain employment. It would also add new training for state human resources workers, and make changes to new state contracts that would incentivize hiring people with disabilities. The bill, mainly to fund two new positions within the Department of Management Services, requires $139,000 in recurring funding and another $26,000 in the first year.
SB 388 went before Sen. Jack Latvala’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development. That bill, which cleared the committee with no amendments, recognizes businesses that hire or otherwise help the state’s disabled by creating a logo and marketing program. Businesses that qualify would be able to display the logo and advertise their membership, and state tourism promoter Visit Florida would also make a list of qualified businesses publicly available online.
