The Fostering with Dignity Act (HB 279)

Where This Stands

Currently dead. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Last action

Died in Human Services SubcommitteeMar 13, 2026

Lead sponsor

Robin Bartleman

Procedural history

6 actions

Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
Nov 4, 2025House
Now in Human Services Subcommittee
Nov 4, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
Nov 4, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Health Care Budget Subcommittee
Nov 4, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Human Services Subcommittee
Oct 28, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill sought to change how children in the foster care system transport their personal items, requiring the state to secure and distribute durable luggage to prevent the use of trash bags during transitions.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Children in out-of-home care

These children would have been provided with luggage for their personal belongings upon entering care or changing placements.

Department of Children and Families

The department would have been responsible for procuring, storing, and distributing luggage, as well as tracking and reporting on its usage.

What changed

Last recorded activity October 28, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill would have required the Florida Department of Children and Families to provide children entering with a suitcase, duffel bag, or backpack to transport their personal belongings. It aimed to replace the use of trash bags for moving children's items and mandated annual reporting on the use of such bags.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Would children have been allowed to keep the luggage provided?

Yes, the bill stated that the luggage would belong to the child and could not be reclaimed by the department or retained by the person with whom the child is placed.

What would have happened if a child already had a bag from a previous placement?

The department would not have been required to provide a new piece of luggage if the child already possessed the one previously provided.

Why It Matters

The bill sought to change how children in the foster care system transport their personal items, requiring the state to secure and distribute durable luggage to prevent the use of trash bags during transitions.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Formalization of Dignity Standards

The bill attempted to codify the emotional well-being of children in state custody as a legislative priority, specifically targeting the practice of using trash bags for personal belongings.

Department of Children and Families

Connected Entities

organizationHuman Services Subcommittee“Subcommittee to which the bill was referred”Map →

organizationHealth & Human Services Committee“Committee to which the bill was referred”Map →

date2026-01-13“Date of the first reading of the bill's original version.”Map →

date2025-11-04“Date the bill was referred to multiple subcommittees”Map →

date2025-10-28“Date the bill was initially filed”Map →

organizationHealth Care Budget Subcommittee“Subcommittee to which the bill was referred”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance40
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level