Florida legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Florida S20: Relief of H.H. by the Department of Children and Families
Status: Failed, March 13, 2026
Providing for the relief of H.H. by the Department of Children and Families; providing an appropriation to compensate H.H. for injuries and damages sustained as a result of the negligence of the department; providing legislative intent; providing a limitation on compensation and the payment of certain fees and costs, etc. CLAIM WITH
What the bill says
An act for the relief of H.H. by the Department of Children and Families; providing an appropriation to compensate H.H. for injuries and damages sustained as a result of the negligence of the department; providing legislative intent; providing a limitation on compensation and the payment of certain fees and costs; providing an effective date.
From the introduced text, August 1, 2025:
A bill to be entitled An act for the relief of H.H. by the Department of Children and Families; providing an appropriation to compensate H.H. for injuries and damages sustained as a result of the negligence of the department; providing legislative intent; providing a limitation on compensation and the payment of certain fees and costs; providing an effective date. WHEREAS, on May 3, 2017, H.H. was a healthy, normally developing 18 month old, when the Department of Children and Families received its first child abuse hotline report regarding H.H., which alleged substance abuse by H.H.âs mother and stepfather and that H.H.âs mother and stepfather were selling drugs out of, and harboring a fugitive in, their home, and WHEREAS, during the course of its investigation of the initial child abuse hotline report, the department discovered that the stepfather had been released from the Department of Corrections 7 months before initiation of the Department of Children and Familiesâ investigation after being incarcerated for 3 1/2 years, was on probation, had been married to the mother for only 1 month and had been dating the mother for only 3 months before initiation of the departmentâs investigation, and had a significant and dangerous criminal history that showed a pattern of impulsivity and violence, and WHEREAS, at the time of the initial child abuse hotline …
Sponsors
- Gruters, Joe (R, SD-022) · primary sponsor
- Mooney Jr., James Vernon (R) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Died in Special Master on Claim Bills
- : Introduced
- : Referred to Special Master on Claim Bills; Judiciary; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Appropriations
- : Filed
Votes
- S 28 Filed (February 11, 2026): 8 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, Appropriations, Judiciary, Special Master on Claim Bills, Community Affairs, Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, Rules, Appropriations
Common questions
- What is S20?
- S20 is a bill in the Florida Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relief of H.H. by the Department of Children and Families.
- What does S20 do?
- In its own words: An act for the relief of H.H. by the Department of Children and Families; providing an appropriation to compensate H.H. for injuries and damages sustained as a result of the negligence of the department; providing legislative intent; providing a limitation on compensation and the payment of certain fees and costs; providing an effective date.
- What is the status of S20?
- Failed as of March 13, 2026. Latest action: Died in Special Master on Claim Bills (March 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored S20?
- Gruters, Joe (R, SD-022), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for S20?
- On the Florida Legislature website: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/20
Source: official Florida record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.