Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
The Florida Association of Counties is “cautiously optimistic” about a proposal filed this week that could change the way counties pay for juvenile detention costs.
Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, filed legislation Tuesday, SB 1322, that would stop the state’s prepayment system. In fiscal 2016-17, each county would pay its share of the prior year’s detention costs and the state would pick up the tab for the remaining actual costs.
Starting in fiscal 2017-18, the proposal calls on counties to pay for 50 percent of juvenile detention costs with the state paying the remaining 50 percent.
Cragin Mosteller, a spokeswoman for the Florida Association of Counties, said the association is supportive of the bill.
“We think it’s fair,” she said.
Under a 2004 state law, counties pay to house juvenile offenders before their case is handled in the court. After, the state pays for detention costs.
Counties must prepay the department based on a future estimates of costs owed by each county. When actual costs are established, counties receive reimbursements or another bill. In the past 12 years, Mosteller said no bill sent to a county has been correct.
Some counties have taken the billing issue to the courts. In December, Pinellas and Broward counties lost separate appeals against the department related to the over billing.
Latvala’s bill does not yet have a House companion.
