Florida HB 949: Virtual Education

Bill Text

CS/HB 949 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb949-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to child welfare; amending s. 39.01, 2
F.S.; revising the definition of the term "harm" to 3
provide that exposure of a child to a controlled 4
substance may be established by evidence of acute or 5
chronic use of a controlled substance by a parent to a 6
specified extent; revising the definition of the term 7
"neglect" to provide that neglect occurs when there is 8
evidence of acute or chronic use of a controlled 9
substance by a parent to a specified extent; 10
reenacting ss. 39.521(1)(c), 39.6012(1)(c), 11
39.806(1)(k), 61.13(2)(c), 61.401, 61.402(3), 12
390.01114(2)(b), 393.067(4)(g), (7), and (9), 13
744.309(3), 984.03(24), 985.155(4)(c), and 14
1001.42(8)(c), F.S., relating to disposition hearings 15
and powers of disposition; case plan tasks and 16
services; grounds for termination of parental rights; 17
support of children, parenting and time-sharing, and 18
powers of the court; appointment of guardian ad litem; 19
qualifications of guardians ad litem; the Parental 20
Notice of and Consent for Abortion Act; facility 21
licensure; who may be appointed guardian of a resident 22
ward; definitions; neighborhood restorative justice; 23
and powers and duties of district school board, 24
respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 25

CS/HB 949 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb949-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

39.01, F.S., in references thereto; providing an 26
effective date. 27
28
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 29
30
Section 1. Paragraph (g) of subsection (37) and subsection 31
(53) of section 39.01, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 32
39.01 Definitions.—When used in this chapter, unless the 33
context otherwise requires: 34
(37) "Harm" to a child's health or welfare can occur when 35
any person: 36
(g) Exposes a child to a controlled substance or alcohol. 37
Exposure to a controlled substance or alcohol is established by: 38
1. A test, administered at birth, which indicated that the 39
child's blood, urine, or meconium contained any amount of 40
alcohol or a controlled substance or metabolites of such 41
substances, the presence of which was not the result of medical 42
treatment administered to the mother or the newborn infant; or 43
2. Evidence of extensive, abusive, and chronic use of a 44
controlled substance or alcohol by a parent to the extent that 45
the parent's ability to provide supervision and care for the 46
child has been or is likely to be severely compromised; or 47
3. Evidence of acute or chronic use of a controlled 48
substance by a parent to the extent that the ongoing threat of 49
the parent's future intoxication compromises the parent's 50

CS/HB 949 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb949-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

ability to guarantee and provide supervision and care for the 51
child. 52
53
As used in this paragraph, the term "controlled substance" means 54
prescription drugs not prescribed for the parent or not 55
administered as prescribed and controlled substances as outlined 56
in Schedule I or Schedule II of s. 893.03. 57
(53) "Neglect" occurs when: 58
(a) A child is deprived of, or is allowed to be deprived 59
of, necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment or a 60
child is permitted to live in an environment when such 61
deprivation or environment causes the child's physical, mental, 62
or emotional health to be significantly impaired or to be in 63
danger of being significantly impaired. The foregoing 64
circumstances shall not be considered neglect if caused 65
primarily by financial inability unless actual services for 66
relief have been offered to and rejected by such person. A 67
parent or legal custodian legitimately practicing religious 68
beliefs in accordance with a recognized church or religious 69
organization who thereby does not provide specific medical 70
treatment for a child may not, for that reason alone, be 71
considered a negligent parent or legal custodian; however, such 72
an exception does not preclude a court from ordering the 73
following services to be provided, when the health of the child 74
so requires: 75

CS/HB 949 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

1.(a) Medical services from a licensed physician, dentist, 76
optometrist, podiatric physician, or other qualified health care 77
provider; or 78
2.(b) Treatment by a duly accredited practitioner who 79
relies solely on spiritual means for healing in accordance with 80
the tenets and practices of a well-recognized church or 81
religio