Calendar
Work With Counties
News Clips
Subscribe
Studio 67Health, Safety & Justice Legislation
Please navigate below to view a summary or check the status and recent updates of health, safety & justice bills monitored by FAC.
Sponsor: Skidmore/Berman
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Revises the definition of term “coercion.” Prohibits facilitating or enabling receiving of persons into any place, structure, building, or conveyance for purpose of prostitution, lewdness, or assignation or facilitating or enabling any person to remain in such place; prohibits knowingly engaging in specified activities for purpose of prostitution. Provides increased criminal penalties for specified prohibited acts. Prohibits facilitating or enabling the receiving of persons into any place, structure, building, or conveyance for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness, or assignation. Prohibits knowingly engaging in specified activities for the purpose of prostitution and thereby benefiting financially or receiving anything of value. Provides increased criminal penalties for specified prohibited acts relating to lewdness, assignation, or prostitution. Effective Date: 10/1/23
Sponsor: Andrade/ Grall
- Requiring the clerk of the court to withhold funds from the return of a cash bond to pay fines, fees, and court costs imposed at the conclusion of a criminal case only when posted by a criminal defendant or his or her spouse. Under the current bill, if a defendant’s cash bond is posted by a third party such as a non-spouse relative or friend, the clerk of the court may not withhold funds from the cash bond at the conclusion of a defendant’s criminal case to pay specified fees and costs associated with the defendant’s criminal court case. Under the new bill, the obligation to pay such fees and costs will fall to the defendant. A bail bond agent will continue to receive the return of the full amount of a bond posted with the court upon the conclusion of a defendant’s criminal case, consistent with current law. A defendant who is convicted of a criminal act or a violation of probation or community control and who has received the assistance of the public defender’s office, a special assistant public defender, the office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, or a private conflict attorney, or who has received due process services after being found indigent for costs shall be liable for payment of the assessed application fee and attorney’s fees and costs. The court shall include these fees and costs in every judgment rendered against the convicted person. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Rodriguez
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Provides that certain organizations that care for or supervise children must require parents or legal guardians to attest certain information in writing before taking children under their care or supervision to public bathing places or public swimming pools. Provides requirements for such organizations when they conduct certain activities in public bathing places or public swimming pools. Provides for disciplinary action against such organizations for certain violations. Authorizing the Department of Health to adopt rules. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Gantt/Berman
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Requires each county courthouse to provide at least one lactation space, outside of a restroom, for members of the public to breastfeed. The lactation space must be provided by January 1, 2024, with specific requirements and exceptions. Authorizes the person responsible for the operation of the facility housing each district court of appeal to use state-appropriated funds or private funding to provide a lactation space. Counties will potentially incur costs from retrofitting county court facilities for a dedicated lactation space. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Hart/Rouson
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Specifies that one of primary purposes of sentencing is to rehabilitate offender to transition back to community successfully. Reduces minimum sentence that must be served by defendant from 85 to 65 percent. Revises provisions concerning gain-time to provide for outstanding deed gain-time, good behavior time, & rehabilitation credits. Revises limits on award of gain-time. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Benjamin/Pizzo
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Authorizes specific personnel to visit county and municipal detention facilities, including:
- Members of the governing body of the county or municipality,
- Members of the Legislature,
- State court judges,
- The state attorney,
- The public defender, and
- The regional counsel.
Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Lopez (V), Rodriguez
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Directs entities employing first responders to pay for licensed mental health counseling following certain qualifying events. Eligible first responders include law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and EMT’s. Specifically, the first responder is eligible for mental health counseling in the event that they witness, in the scope of their duties:
- A deceased minor
- A decedent whose death or injuries shock the conscience
- Or an event of grievous bodily harm that shocks the conscience
- A first responder is eligible for 12 hours of initial treatment following the qualifying event, and an additional 24 hours of treatment if a licensed mental health professional determines that additional treatment is likely necessary to improve the first responder’s condition. Counseling initiated under this statute must be completed within one calendar year of the qualifying event. A committee substitute for the Senate bill expands the list of eligible first responders to include correctional officers, as well as caps the hourly rate for counseling at $500. Additionally, CS/SB 314 would require the employing entities to submit a report to the CFO detailing participation in the program, as well as the program’s relationship to worker’s compensation claims.
Sponsor: Daniels / Bracy Davis
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Revising the required sentencing structure for prison releasee reoffenders. Provides legislative intent. Applies the revised sentencing structure to certain persons under certain circumstances. Provides resentencing requirements. Deleting a provision that requires a state attorney to explain a sentencing deviation in writing in certain circumstances. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Collins/Alvarez
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Requires the Department of Education to procure a vendor to produce emergency response mapping data for all public school buildings. The vendor is responsible for providing the data to the applicable county. Specifying requirements for the data, including compatibility. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Rayner-Goolsby/Berman
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Prohibits possession or use of firearm in sensitive location, including healthcare facilities, certain government buildings- polling locations, courthouses, or law enforcement agencies, parks or recreational facilities operated or controlled by a county, place of worship, public libraries/parks, etc. Effective Date: 10/1/23
Sponsor: Rayner-Goolsby / Book
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Creates “Children’s Bill of Rights Act”; provides definitions, rights of children, & protections of such rights; revises name of children’s commission; revises provisions relating membership and duties of commission; provides for staff appointments, information gathering, & rulemaking authority. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Gruters/Barnaby
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Prohibits business & governmental entities from requiring individuals to provide proof of vaccination to gain access to, entry upon, or service from such entities. Prohibits employers from refusing employment to, or discharging, disciplining, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against, individual on basis of vaccination or immunity status. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Garcia / LaMarca
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Specifying conditions under which a person commits exploitation of a person 65 years of age or older; providing criminal penalties for violations of the act; authorizing persons who are in imminent danger of exploitation to petition for an injunction for protection; providing time limitations for commencing prosecution for violations of the act, etc. Effective Date: 10/1/23
Sponsor: Burton/ Griffits, Jr.
Status: Monitor
- Provides an exemption from public records requirements for certain information held by the Department of Legal Affairs or the Department of Health. Authorizes the disclosure of such information under certain circumstances; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity, etc. Effective Date: On the same date that SB 252/HB 1013 or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension thereof and becomes a law
Sponsor: Martin
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Prohibiting counties and municipalities, respectively, from prohibiting temporary shelters on residential property for a specified timeframe under certain circumstances; authorizing independent special fire control districts to file a specified report on an alternative schedule under certain circumstances; requiring the Division of Emergency Management to post a model contract for debris removal on its website by a specified date; increasing the timeframe to exercise rights under a permit or other authorization; encouraging local governmental entities to develop an emergency financial plan for major disasters, etc. Effective Date: Except as otherwise expressly provided in this act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 2023
Sponsor: Burton/ Griffits, Jr.
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Repeals a provision relating to prohibiting public employers from imposing COVID-19 vaccination mandates. Prohibits business entities and governmental entities from Requires COVID-19 testing to gain access to, entry upon, or service from such entities. Prohibits entities from requiring persons to provide certain documentation or requiring COVID-19 testing as a condition of contracting, hiring, promotion, or continued employment; prohibiting business and governmental entities from refusing to hire persons, discharging persons, depriving or attempting to deprive persons of employment opportunities, adversely affecting persons with respect to employment, or otherwise discriminating against any person based on knowledge or belief of a person’s COVID-19 vaccination or postinfection recovery status or failure to take a COVID-19 test, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Caruso/Lopez (V)/ Calatayud
Prohibits distribution of certain materials that lead to littering. Prohibits stalking of certain individuals. Prohibits willful & malicious defacement, injury, or damage to certain property; removes minimum damage requirement for violation. Prohibits projection of certain images onto buildings or other property without permission; prohibits interference with certain assemblies; provides enhanced criminal penalties for persons who commit violations while evidencing religious or ethnic animus. Requires certain violations be reported as hate crimes. Effective Date: 10/1/23
Sponsor: Brodeur/Plakon
Revises the elements that constitute the capital offense of murder in the first degree. Revises the elements that constitute the offense of murder in the third degree and constitute a felony of the second degree. Provides criminal penalties for adults who unlawfully distribute, deliver, sell, or dispense specified substances or mixtures and an injury or overdose of the user results; providing enhanced criminal penalties for repeat offenders. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Hawkins/Holcomb/ Rodriguez
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Revises the definition of “first responder” to include 911 public safety telecommunicators; revises criteria & number of hours of training required for 911 public safety telecommunicator certification. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Osgood/ Robinson (F)
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Revises criminal penalties to include fines of certain amounts; requires prosecution of specified offenses under Florida RICO; requires DOE & DOH, in conjunction with Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, to establish an awareness training program; requires each state attorney to ensure prosecutors receive certain mandatory training; requires each state attorney to adopt pro-prosecution policy for human trafficking offenses. Effective Date: 10/1/23
Sponsor: Garcia / Trabulsy
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Revises the purposes of the Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse to include an assessment of the state’s suicide prevention infrastructure. Revises the duties of the commission to include duties relating to the state’s suicide prevention infrastructure, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Garcia (I)
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Provides criminal penalties for the failure to verify and maintain specified documentation of an adult theater employee or contractor; requiring a mandatory minimum term of incarceration for a person convicted of solicitation of prostitution, lewdness, or assignation; requiring a commercial entity that publishes or distributes material harmful to minors on the Internet from a website that contains a substantial portion of such material to perform reasonable age verification, etc. Effective Date: Except as otherwise provided in this act. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Chambliss/Stewart
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Reduces the time frame to look back at and use a criminal conviction as grounds to deny an application for licensure as a barber or cosmetologist from 5 to 3 years. Allows a board to consider an applicant’s criminal history, regardless of when a conviction occurred if the applicant was convicted of a crime at any time during the three-year period immediately preceding the application. Boards may also continue to consider forcible felonies and crimes that require a person to register as a sexual predator regardless of when they occurred if they relate to the practice of the profession as a barber or cosmetologist. Requires the Barbers’ Board and Board of Cosmetology to approve educational program credits received from vocational training programs or industry certification programs offered to inmates in any correctional institution or facility to satisfy training requirements for licensure. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsors: Smith / Rodriguez
Provides an exception to those instances where a person is eligible to petition a court to expunge a criminal history record for those juvenile and adult charges dismissed for reasons of the defendant lacking the mental competency. Adds those instances where a person is eligible to petition a court to expunge a criminal history record to include an instance where a prior expunction was granted for a criminal history record for an offense that was committed when the person was a minor and the record is otherwise eligible for expunction. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Edmonds/ Polsky
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Repealing Section 569.0025, Florida Statutes, the establishment of the minimum age for purchasing or possessing, and the regulation for the marketing, sale, or delivery of, tobacco products is preempted to the state. Effective date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Brannan III & Payne
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Amends s. 790.01, F.S., to authorize a person to carry a CWCF (concealed weapon or firearm) if he or she has a valid CWL (concealed weapon), or does not have a CWL, but otherwise satisfies the criteria for receiving and maintaining a CWL, except that such person is not required to demonstrate competency with a firearm or affirmatively state that he or she desires a legal means to carry a CWCF for lawful self-defense. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Barnaby
Removes provisions for fee for costs of care or supervision of certain children & for assessment & collection of such fees; provides such fees may not be ordered, balances owed for such fees may not be collected, unpaid civil judgments for such fees are void & unenforceable, warrants issued solely based on alleged failure to pay such fees are void & any person whose driver license was suspended for failure to pay such fees shall be eligible for reinstatement. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Boyd/Caruso
- Revises authorizations for prescribing and dispensing emergency opioid antagonists by authorized health care practitioners. Authorizes certain pharmacies, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians to take certain actions relating to emergency opioid antagonists. Crates the Statewide Council on Opioid Abatement within the Department of Children and Families; exempting certain pharmacies, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians from liability for damages, penalties, fines, or costs as a result of certain actions relating to emergency opioid antagonists, etc. Effective Date: Upon becoming a law
Sponsor: Rodriguez / Gottieb
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Requires employers who employ those regularly working in an outdoor environment to implement an outdoor heat exposure safety program that has been approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Health, specifying requirements for the safety program. Provides responsibilities for certain employers and employees, including access to drinking water, shade, and training. Requires annual training on heat illness and providing requirements for such training, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in conjunction with the Department of Health, must adopt specified rules. Effective Date: 10/1/23
Sponsor: McFarland/Bradley
Status: Support
To view the latest bill actions see below:
HB 745
SB 1418
The bill revises the distribution formula for the Emergency Communications System Fund. To fund E911 systems around the state, voice communications service providers charge a fee to their subscribers. These fees are deposited into the Emergency Communications System Fund, before being distributed to counties, among other entities. Under current law, counties receive 76% of the distributions for the wireless category of voice communication services. The latest committee substitute language would increase this allocation to 95% for counties.
Additionally, the bill modifies the powers, duties, and composition of the E911 Board, which is renamed as the Emergency Communications Board, and expands the list of items that may be funded with E911 fee disbursements. Under current law, the board consists of a system director and ten members appointed by the Governor, five of whom are county representatives. The bill would reduce these numbers to eight appointees, four of whom represent county interests.
Lastly, the latest amendment language would require any modifications to a local E911 system be made in coordination with the law enforcement director or designee associated with the local public safety answering point (PSAP).
Sponsor: Yeager
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Requires entities that administer or conduct high-risk youth athletic activities or training related to such activities on certain property to require athletics personnel to complete course within specified timeframe & to maintain record of personnel who complete such course for specified timeframe; provides for course requirements; provides exemption. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Davis/ Silvers
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Requires DCF to provide specified information to certain individuals & organizations. Requires DCF to maintain information handbook & repository of answers to frequently asked questions; provides requirements for such handbook & repository. An information handbook, which must be published and updated on the department’s website annually by October 1. A repository of answers to frequently asked questions, which must be published on the department’s website and continually revised and expanded as necessary. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Powell
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Prohibits a jail or other facility intended or used for the detention of adults from holding a child who has been transferred to adult court for criminal prosecution before a specified hearing to determine if the child should be prosecuted as an adult, unless the child waives his or her right to such hearing, Deletes provisions requiring a state attorney to request a court to transfer and certify a child for prosecution as an adult or to provide written reasons to the court for not making such request, or to proceed under specified provision; requiring that the child or the child’s parent or guardian receive a due process evidentiary hearing; requiring the judge to conduct the hearing within a certain timeframe. Effective Date: 7/1/2023
Sponsors: Alvarez / Gruters
The House bill requires a specified notice to law enforcement officers or correctional officers before an agency can take disciplinary action against the officer and authorizes the law enforcement officer or corrections officer to challenge disciplinary actions. The Senate bill only applies to law enforcement officers. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Busatta Cabrera/Calatayud
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Allows certain housing authorities to adopt ordinances, rules, or policies related to dangerous dog attacks. Regulations cannot be specific to the breed, weight, or size of the dog. The bill removes an exemption for local ordinances adopted prior to October 1, 1990. Effective Date: 10/1/23.
Sponsor: Polsky/ Nixon
- Prohibits a public employer from taking adverse personnel action against an employee or a job applicant who is a qualified patient for his or her use of medical marijuana; providing exceptions; providing a cause of action and damages. Effective Date: Upon becoming a law
Sponsor: Rouson/Smith
Revises requirement for DCF relating to performance outcomes & measures; requires managing entities to lead implementation of coordinated system of care; removes provisions relating to contracts for provision of local substance abuse & mental health programs, state & district substance abuse & mental health plans, & financing of district programs & services; revises managing entity duties; removes requirement for certain managing entities to enter into memoranda of understanding relating to network accreditation & systems coordination. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Rudman/Book
Requiring that certain information be included in a parenting plan; specifying that a parent may not be found in violation of a parenting plan, time-sharing schedule, or child exchange order, or charged with a certain offense, under certain circumstances; requiring boards of county commissioners to designate certain areas as public safe exchange locations for a specified purpose; providing that a parent of a child or the parent’s designee may not be charged with the offense of interference with custody under certain circumstances, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Benjamin/Perry
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
- Authorizes stay of proceedings subsequent to finding of probable cause for forfeiture; requires stay of forfeiture actions until final disposition of associated criminal charges; requires conviction in associated criminal offense for forfeiture of seized property; requires return of seized property if all associated criminal charges are dismissed; prohibits specified agencies from referring, transferring, or otherwise relinquishing possession of property seized to federal agency for specified purpose; provides guidelines relating to state participation in joint task forces. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Calatayud
- Revises the criteria a state agency must consider before denying a license, permit, or certification to a person previously convicted of a crime. Requires a state agency to consider specified factors when determining whether an ex-offender applying for a license, permit, or certificate has not been rehabilitated. Authorizes certain persons to petition a state agency to determine whether their criminal record will disqualify them from obtaining a license, permit, or certificate; requiring specified agencies to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature. Effective Date: 7/1/23
HB 1443- Disqualification from Licensing, Permitting, or Certification Based on Criminal Conviction
Sponsor: Smith
Status: Monitor
Last Update:
- Provides that application for license, permit, or certification may only be denied based on applicant’s criminal record under certain circumstances; requires the State agency to consider certain factors in determining whether applicants for license, permit, or certification has been rehabilitated. Revises & provides requirements for state agencies relating to denying certain applications & petitions, advising applicants how to remedy disqualifications, new petitions, & fees; revises state agency reporting requirements. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Bracy Davis
Permits a juvenile with one prior sealing or expunction to obtain court-ordered expunction. The bill also provides a court may retain post disposition jurisdiction until child reaches age 21 for certain youth on post-commitment probation and revises provisions relating to disposition hearings. It also provides for tolling of probation period when notice of affidavit of violation is filed until allegation is resolved and revises the maximum amount of time juvenile may be committed to juvenile corrections facility. It revises age ranges of juveniles who may be committed to such facilities and revises offenses that permit juveniles to be committed to such facilities. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Rayner-Goolsby/Book
Provides immunity to health care workers of hospitals & nursing home facilities who carry out directives of supervising health care practitioner or entity; requires AHCA to provide report on success of personal care attendant program; requires nursing home facilities to report to agency common ownership relationships they or their parent companies share with certain entities; requires agency to submit report of such reported common ownership relationships to Governor & Legislature; revises rate methodology for agency’s long-term care reimbursement plan; requires agency to add quality metric to its Quality Incentive Program for specified purpose. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Prohibits certain research relating to enhanced potential pandemic pathogens; provides requirement for researchers applying for state or local funding; prohibits medical marijuana treatment centers from producing certain marijuana products; provides requirements for marijuana packaging & labeling, medical marijuana treatment center advertising, & medical marijuana testing laboratories & employee background screening; provides requirements for live birth, death, & fetal death records & marriage licenses & certain dissolution-of-marriage records; revises requirements for applicants for certification or recertification as EMT or paramedic; exempts certain applicants for certification as certified nursing assistant from portion of competency examination; revises scope of practice for audiologists & hearing aid specialists; revises membership requirements for members of Board of Hearing Aid Specialists. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Rudman/Trumbull
Authorizes health care providers & health care payers to opt out of participation in or payment for certain health care services by conscience-based objections without discrimination or threat of adverse actions; requires health care provider to notify the patient and the health care provider’s supervisor or employee, if applicable, in writing when such health care provider declines to participate in certain health care services & retain copy of such notification; prohibits certain boards and DOH from taking certain disciplinary actions under certain circumstances. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Rudman
Status: Monitor
Revises provisions related to expiration & renewal of declarations of public health emergency; authorizes State Health Officer to request rather than order individual to be examined, tested, treated, isolated, or quarantined for certain communicable diseases; requires two-thirds vote of membership of both houses of Legislature to allow actions that affect entire groups or communities; revises procedures for imposing & releasing an isolation or quarantine. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Brodeur
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Prohibits a Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) from incentivizing the use of any affiliated pharmacy as part of a Pharmacy Benefits Plan. Prohibited incentives include referrals to affiliates, limited networks for prescription drug coverage, or disproportionate marketing/promotion of affiliates. Prohibits similar incentives for mail-order prescriptions, including offering discounts for mail-order prescriptions over retail pharmacies.
Sponsor: Brackett/Rodriguez
Requires qualified third party to make specified certification before local authority having jurisdiction may require assessment of need for or installation of two-way radio communications enhancement system in certain buildings; specifies length of time such certification is valid; limits number of times that local authority having jurisdiction may require specified assessment; prohibits local authority having jurisdiction from withholding certificate of occupancy & from requiring installation of specified system within certain time period after completion of specified report. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Burgess/Yarkosky
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Revising the powers, duties, and obligations of a sheriff; creating an office of the sheriff in each county; authorizing certain persons to file a petition with the Division of Administrative Hearings, rather than an appeal to the Administration Commission, if the tentative budget of a municipality contains a certain reduction, etc. Effective Date: Upon becoming a law
Sponsor: Yarborough
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
Provides that the administration of vaccines is not included within the meaning of the terms “treat,” “treated,” or “treatment” as they relate to public health emergencies; revising provisions related to the expiration and renewal of declarations of a public health emergency; authorizing an individual to refuse examination, testing, or treatment under a State Health Officer’s order during a public health emergency by submitting a written refusal to the State Health Officer, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/23
Sponsor: Harrell/Koster
Status: Monitor
To view the latest bill
actions, see below:
SB 7056 requires the transfer of child protective investigation services from the seven sheriff’s offices that provide those services back to the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Currently, the DCF contracts with Pinellas, Manatee, Broward, Pasco, Hillsborough, Seminole, and Walton counties to conduct child protective investigations for their respective counties. Ultimately, this transfer will make the DCF the sole entity performing child protective investigations in the State.