MIAMI — On the heels of signing a bill in Tampa to promote "responsible" fatherhood, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed another bill focusing on the welfare of children.
The new law, CS/SB 7034 specifically focuses on foster care parents, guardians and children.
DeSantis said during a news conference Tuesday that Florida is No. 2 in the country for the percentage of children placed with relatives and the shortest time children spend in foster care before adoption.
DeSantis said there are three main parts of this new law.
First, the new law provides $19 million in state funding that would raise the amount of money paid out by the Florida Department of Children and Families to family members or family friends who take children into their care. Now, it will match the amount provided to foster care parents who aren't related to the children in their care.
Second, DeSantis says the bill earmarks $25 million to provide $200 per month for foster parents of newborns and children up to 5 years old. The governor said this extra funding will cover about 7,000 foster parents throughout Florida.
Finally, DeSantis said the new law expands tuition and fee waivers for some students in foster care who choose to attend Florida public colleges, universities and workforce education programs.
"We are proud of state colleges like right here in Miami-Dade College, what it's meant to people in this community. We're proud to have the No. 1-ranked public university system in the United States for five years in a row, according to U.S. News and World Report," DeSantis said.
DeSantis also mentioned how lawmakers have kept Florida state university and college tuition affordable for the "average Floridian."
"This bill removes red tape and expands the number of students that are eligible for fee and tuition waivers," he added.