Ron DeSantis, the Republican Governor of Florida, continues his commitment to families. That’s where House Bill 7034, signed into law last week, comes in, allocating $25 million to support foster parents.
4,000 more foster parents
“My administration is committed to the most vulnerable children, and Florida has already added 4,000 more foster parents than in 2019,” the Governor said. “Not only does this bill allow us to extend support to foster parents, but it also creates more opportunities for foster children,” he added, also emphasizing Florida’s commitment to early literacy and in support of fatherhood.
Everyone deserves an opportunity
During the signing ceremony, DeSantis called the legislation an example of the state’s commitment to making “every life count.” He added, “All of these kids deserve an opportunity and we will make sure that their dreams, hopes and aspirations can become a reality in a loving home.”
The law
The bill allocates $19 million to parents of foster children. It also delegates $25 million to guarantee $200 per month to foster parents caring for children aged 5 and under. “Through this funding, more than 7,000 parents and caregivers will receive this subsidy for the children in their care,” the Governor specified. He went on to explain that the bill also increases the money foster kids receive for accommodation at state universities, tuition and tax exemptions at colleges, universities and work programs.
Support for fathers
HB 7034 was signed into law only one day after another bill, which provides financial incentives to encourage fathers to take an active role in their children’s education, including a $70 million fund for mentoring programs for at-risk youth that involve their fathers.
Anti-gender Florida
These two bills received unanimous support from the Florida Congress. However, this was not the case for the bill that outlawed gender education in schools on March 8. The text of this bill prohibits discussions about sexual orientation or gender identity with children below the age of ten. More generally, LGBT+ topics will be prohibited “when they are not age or developmentally appropriate for students.”
Florida thus joins four other US states, namely Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, which also prohibit teaching sexual terms to children.