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SB 7018 Florida Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Child Welfare

Summary
Child Welfare; Renaming the Step into Success Workforce Education and Internship Pilot Program as the Step into Success Workforce Education and Internship Program; requiring the department’s Office of Continuing Care to develop certain cohorts within specified regions, collaborate with certain organizations and recruit mentors and organizations, and provide eligible former foster youth with internship placement opportunities; requiring the Office of Continuing Care to develop trauma-informed training for mentors of certain former foster youth which meets certain requirements, etc.
Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Mar 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S 7018 Filed → S 7018 pb · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill amends the Step into Success program to rename it from a 'Pilot' to a permanent program, removes the three-year time limit, and increases financial support for former foster youth from $1,517 to $1,717 per month. It also mandates specific trauma-informed training for mentors and requires the program to begin by January 1, 2024, with internships starting by July 1, 2024.
Scope change
The program's scope changed from a temporary 3-year pilot to a permanent initiative, expanding its long-term applicability to former foster youth.
TIMELINE

The program is no longer limited to a 3-year pilot; it is now permanent, and specific start dates were set (education component by Jan 1, 2024; internships by July 1, 2024).

FISCAL

Monthly financial assistance for participating former foster youth was increased from $1,517 to $1,717.

REQUIREMENT

Mentors must complete a minimum of 1 hour of trauma-informed training, including interactive components like role-playing and case studies.

The Office of Continuing Care must assign experienced staff to serve as program liaisons for mentors to provide support and debriefing.

ELIGIBILITY

The definition of a 'Visitor' was modified to require a child to be in the home for either 5 consecutive days or 7 days in a month (previously 10 days or 14 days).

Floor votes · Senate Feb 26, 2026

How they voted

38–0
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 40
Feb 26, 2026
D Democratic11
10 Yea 1
90% Yea
I Independent1
1 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican28
27 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
19
Key actions
7
Committee
7
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0
upper
Feb 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable by- Appropriations; YEAS 18 NAYS 0
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations, 02/12/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; YEAS 7 NAYS 0
upper
Jan 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, 02/04/26, 1:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
upper
Jan 14, 2026
Introduced
Introduced
upper
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
Referred to Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Appropriations
upper
Jan 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Submitted as Committee Bill and Reported Favorably by Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; YEAS 6 NAYS 0
upper
Jan 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
On Committee agenda-- Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, 01/12/26, 4:00 pm, 301 Senate Building
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.