Economic Hardship Grant Program

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

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Economic Hardship Grant Program

This bill creates a new program within the Department of Children and Families to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to Florida residents facing economic hardship under specific conditions.

What This Bill Does

Creates the People's Relief Program inside the Department of Children and Families.
Requires the program to give grants to people who are having trouble paying for basic needs like housing, childcare, or health care due to certain conditions such as high utility costs or natural disasters.
Sets rules about how long someone must have lived in Florida before applying and what proof they need to show that their situation has changed.
Requires the Department of Children and Families to make rules on how to apply for grants, who qualifies, and how the money will be given out.

Who It Names or Affects

Florida residents experiencing economic hardship
The Department of Children and Families

Terms To Know

Economic Hardship Grant Program: A program that gives money to people who are having trouble paying for basic needs due to financial difficulties.
People's Relief Program: The name of the new grant program created by this bill inside the Department of Children and Families in Florida.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money will be available for grants.
It is unclear when the rules required by the bill will be finalized and implemented.

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