Legislative Updates

Because of the problems Florida's economy is experiencing, it is virtually inevitable that the Legislature will need to make budget cuts before the regular 2009 legislative session. The Governor's Office has required all state agencies to report the services that would need to be cut, if it were necessary to reduce the budget by as much as 10 percent. While much could change over the coming months, the responses are fairly drastic.

AGENCY/PROGRAM	CUT AMOUNT	COMMENTS
AWI
School Readiness - TANF - Welfare Transition Fund	$11.7 Million	Will result in an estimated 2,947 fewer children receiving services. Will disproportionately impact working poor families making 150 percent Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
School Readiness - Subsidized Child Care	$14.8 Million	The state will be unable to draw down $18.3 million in federal funds, resulting in combined loss of $33.1 million and serving 8,380 fewer children
VPK	$34.5 Million	Reduces base student allocation per child by $263 (from $2,628 to $2,365). Will likely result in significant number of providers dropping out of program and therefore reduce availability of programs throughout Florida
VPK Administration, Support Services and Information Technology	$0.2 Million	Will reduce support services and financial monitoring
VPK - Security Administration	$12,000	Will result in fewer fraud investigations and reduce restitution by approximately $28,000
DOE
VPK (transfer of GR to AWI)	$15.4 Million	Represents 4.47 percent decrease of approximately $114.61 per student
VPK Early Learning Standards and Accountability	$76,200	Will reduce support to instructors and parents and delay implementation of the VPK accountability system
DOH
Healthy Start	$9.6 Million	22 percent reduction; eliminates increases from last two years
Children's Medical Services - Child Protection Teams	$0.7 Million	10 percent reduction statewide in medical services to abused / neglected children through Child Protection Teams
DCF
Healthy Families	$1.1 Million	A five percent reduction would severely damage the provision of critical services to prevent child abuse and neglect. Loss of services to approximately 400 at-risk families
Child Care Regulation	$0.4 Million	Will reduce statewide oversight of child care providers, including child care licensure and quality assurance
Child Protection Investigation	$1.6 Million	Impacts child protection services
Children's Legal Services	$1.5 Million	Severe limitation to provide dependency legal services for abused and neglected children

To access the proposed 10 percent cuts for state agencies go to floridafiscalportal.state.fl.us/.

Article and table summary courtesy of the Children's Trust

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Legislative Updates