A bill to boost housing access for young adults who have spent time in the foster care system was unanimously advanced by the Senate Education Postsecondary Committee Monday,

Miami Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia presented the measure (SB 584) and started by explaining an amendment that was adopted that removed certain requirements found in the original bill, with Garcia saying the change emphasizes coordination rather than providing guarantees.

“Specifically, it removes the requirement for state agencies to act as co-signers or guarantors on residential leases for foster youth currently not under the voucher program,” Garcia said. “However, it does preserve the core provisions that support the federal Youth to Independence, the FYI program. Agencies are still required to coordinate with local housing authorities, identify eligible youth, and certify their child welfare history and also provide and secure supportive services for the duration of the housing voucher.”

The bill would support the FYI program by mandating a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fully implement it in Florida.

Boynton Beach Democratic Sen. Lori Berman asked why the bill was being amended, noting that she liked that youth were getting so much financial support. In response, Garcia said it was the fiscal impact that forced her to remove it from the original bill, but pointed out it was regrettable that it wasn’t able to be left in.

“The fiscal impact,” Garcia said. “The fiscal impact was going to be huge, and we wanted to make sure that we can take care of the ones that are currently under that program.”

Garcia said she was inspired by the youth that she has worked with during her time as a state senator, and noted the bill is one of many that works towards helping them succeed.

“You know, housing, we take it so for granted, sometimes we take our parents for granted,” Garcia said. “This is another wonderful bill of the many that we have run, that we continue to work on. All of us together, bipartisan, which is what I love to do.”

Garcia said that the bill would make housing a priority for vulnerable students by requiring Florida College System Institutions and state universities to give first priority and housing and work-study opportunities to students who are homeless or formally in the foster care system who are having difficulty aging out.

Schools would also be prohibited from requiring a co-signer or guarantor when vulnerable students receive housing assistance through state programs.

“I think that it’s very important that it expands all throughout Florida,” Garcia said. “Also, this ensures that young people aging out of foster care receive properly coordinated housing support.”

The bill further requires a state-wide study, directing the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct a comprehensive study on the barriers young adults face when trying to secure housing. The study must involve key stakeholders and be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2026.

The measure will now move to the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee.

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Proposed state budgets are providing a mixed bag for Citrus County, though its priorities were mostly ignored.

Neither the House nor Senate budgets provide funding for the Cross Florida Barge Canal boat ramp or a new fire station at the Inverness Airport.

Three Citrus County projects are included in both budgets, albeit at different amounts.

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia promised to advocate for $350,000 for the revitalization of Crystal Memorial Gardens, a historic African American cemetery just outside the Crystal River city limits. Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican, visited the cemetery with project organizer Andrea McCray last September.

The House budget has $175,000 earmarked for Crystal Memorial Gardens.

As expected, the Senate’s list of Citrus projects far exceeds that of the House, where Inverness Rep. JJ Grow is in his first Regular Session. Citrus projects total $1.4 million in the House and $8.9 million in the Senate.

Other budget highlights are:

— Jessie’s Place, the Child Advocacy Center of Citrus County named for Jessica Lunsford, is in the House budget for $100,000 and Senate for $200,000 for an expansion.

— The Homosassa River Restoration Project, which has had mixed success obtaining consistent year-to-year state funding, has $1 million in the House budget and $2 million in the Senate.

— The Academy of Environmental Sciences has $120,000 in the House budget but nothing in the Senate for upgrades to the public charter school.

— The Senate budget has $573,554 for LifeStream Behavioral Centers’ Baker Act facility in Citrus County, which is under construction. There is no money in the House budget for the Baker Act project.

— Only one Citrus County government project made either budget. The County requested $5 million for the Halls River Road multiuse path in Homosassa. The Senate has $1 million; there is nothing in the House version.

— The Senate proposes $350,000 for new Sheriff Dave Vincent’s plan for body-worn cameras; there’s nothing in the House budget.

— $2 million is in the Senate budget for the Save Crystal River restoration project. Nothing is in the House proposal.

— The Senate budget includes $1.5 million to design the widening of County Road 491 between Pine Ridge Boulevard and U.S. 41. Citrus County did not request the funding; rather, it was on behalf of a company that plans a 5,000-home lagoon development near Beverly Hills called Tuscany Ranch.

The project has yet to go through the public hearing process. Nothing is approved.

County Commission Chair Rebecca Bays said the request came through the Southern Group, where former Commissioner Ruthie Schlabach, ousted in the August 2024 Primary, now works as a lobbyist.

The County is undergoing a corridor study for an eventual widening project. County Administrator Steve Howard said the developer made the request with the county agreeing to accept funds if they’re approved.

“This is something this developer has done in other places,” Bays said. “If they can get funding for roads and offset what it takes from the county coffers, I guess it’s trying to be a good partner.”

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