HB0385 • 2026

Economic Hardship Grant Program

Budget Children Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rayner ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Joseph ; Robinson, F.
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Human Services Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text states the program is created and sets an effective date, but official metadata notes it 'Died' in a subcommittee. This creates uncertainty about whether the law will actually take effect.

People's Relief Program for Economic Hardship

This bill creates the People's Relief Program within Florida's Department of Children and Families to provide grants helping residents pay for basic needs during times of economic hardship.

What This Bill Does

Creates the People's Relief Program inside the Department of Children and Families.
Provides grants to help cover costs like housing, childcare, health care, utilities, and property insurance.
Makes grants available only if specific conditions happen, such as high utility or insurance costs, rising unemployment, economic decline, or a natural disaster emergency.
Requires applicants to have lived in Florida for at least one year before applying.
Orders the department to write rules about how people apply and use the money.

Who It Names or Affects

Florida residents who have lived in the state for at least one year.
Individuals facing high costs or financial trouble related to utilities, insurance, childcare, or health care due to specific economic conditions.
The Department of Children and Families, which must manage the program.

Terms To Know

Grant: Money given by a government agency that does not need to be paid back.
Appropriation: The act of the Legislature setting aside money for a specific program, which is required before this grant program can operate.

Limits and Unknowns

Grants depend on future funding decisions by the Legislature.
Exact numbers for when costs or unemployment are too high will be decided later in rules.
Specific limits on how grant money can be spent have not been written yet.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Human Services Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-11-18 House
• Referred to Human Services Subcommittee • Referred to Health Care Budget Subcommittee • Referred to Health & Human Services Committee • Now in Human Services Subcommittee
2025-11-06 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Economic Hardship Grant Program; Creates People's Relief Program within DCF; requires program to provide assistance in form of grants to certain residents under specified conditions; provides program eligibility requirements for individuals; requires DCF to adopt specified rules.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 385 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb385-00
Page 1 of 3
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 an economic hardship grant program; 2
creating s. 409.14512, F.S.; creating the People's 3
Relief Program within the Department of Children and 4
Families; providing a purpose for the program; 5
providing legislative intent; requiring the program to 6
provide assistance in the form of grants to certain 7
residents under specified conditions; providing 8
program eligibility requirements for individuals; 9
requiring the department to adopt specified rules; 10
providing an effective date. 11
12
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
14
Section 1. Section 409.14512, Florida Statutes, is created 15
to read: 16
409.14512 People's Relief Program.— 17
(1) The People's Relief Program is created within the 18
department. The purpose of the program is to provide residents 19
of this state who are experiencing economic hardship with 20
assistance for everyday expenses, such as housing, childcare, 21
and health care. 22
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that this program 23
ensure long-term financial stability for individuals and 24
families who reside in this state by offering grants to assist 25

HB 385 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb385-00
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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

residents experiencing economic hardship. 26
(3) Subject to appropriation by the Legislature, the 27
program shall provide assistance in the form of grants to 28
residents experiencing economic hardship. Such grants must be 29
available to residents if any of the following occurs: 30
(a) Utility costs rise above a specified percentage of 31
average household income. 32
(b) Property insurance premiums rise above a specified 33
threshold. 34
(c) Statewide unemployment rises above a specified 35
percentage. 36
(d) An economic decline causes widespread hardship. 37
(e) A natural disaster leads to the declaration of a state 38
of emergency. 39
(4) To be eligible for assistance under the program, an 40
individual must: 41
(a) Have been a resident of this state for at least 1 year 42
before applying; 43
(b) Provide evidence of a change in circumstances which 44
hinders or prohibits the individual from being able to fulfill 45
pending financial obligations related to utility, property 46
insurance, childcare, or health care expenses; and 47
(c) Provide documentation of utility costs, property 48
insurance premiums, childcare expenses, or health care expenses. 49
(5) The department shall adopt rules to implement this 50

HB 385 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb385-00
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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

section. The rules must, at a minimum, include all of the 51
following: 52
(a) An application that must be available on the 53
department's website. 54
(b) The specified thresholds for the conditions in 55
paragraphs (3)(a)-(d). 56
(c) The procedures for awarding and disbursing the grants. 57
(d) Restrictions on the use of grant funds. 58
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 59