Armwood Students Were Right, There Ought To Be a Law for 'Gap Kids'

Armwood High Schoool students who thought their ought to a law in the interestes of unaccompanied minors will be on hand today to witness the signing of a bill to that effect that they helped lobby for in collaboration with students from Leto High School.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, along with the bill's sponsors, state Sen. Jack Latvala (R-St. Petersburg) and state Rep. Rich Glorioso (R-Plant City), will be on hand for the bill-signing Aug. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center at 901 East Kennedy Blvd. in South Tampa.

"When I learned from our Hillsborough students and community leaders that there were almost 7,000 unaccompanied youth in the state of Florida who were trapped in a legal gap and were not afforded the right to care for themselves, I knew we had to make a legislative change," Glorioso said. "I appreciate Gov. Scott coming to Tampa for this bill-signing event to celebrate a step forward for this vulnerable population, and to meet the incredible youth and community advocates who helped to make this bill idea a law in the 2012 session."

Here's how it worked:

• Each year students are asked to propose a measure to advance through the "Ought To Be a Law" initiative.

• This year, students from Leto High and their teacher proposed the idea for an unaccompanied youth bill. They worked in collaboration with Armwood High School students, a number of local unaccompanied youth and representatives from related nonprofit organizations.

• The advocates went to Tallahassee to lobby for passage of a bill that won "an astounding 118 House co-sponsors," according to a news release on the initiative.

• Why was the bill deemed necessary? "Under current law, minors who meet certain conditions can be granted the same rights as an adult. This process is known in current law as 'having the disabilities of nonage removed,' and is otherwise known as 'emancipation.' " But minors in Florida need a parental signature to obtain emanciaption, which causes a problem for unaccompanied youth, who, "according to federal terms, are minors not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian."

• House Bill 1351 seeks to provide a certified homeless youth or a minor who had the disabilities of nonage with a certified copy of his or her birth certificate upon requst, as well as give unaccompanied youth the rights fo emandicpated youth.

Expected To Be in Attendance at the Signing of House Bill 1351

• From Armwood High School, students Tiara Brooks, Michael Himes, Jessica Ireland, Stephanie Walker and Tori Wilson.

• From Leto High School, Jacqueline Feliciano and Sergio Velazquez, now Leto alumni and unaccompanied youth attending St. Leo University.

• Lazydays Center for Youth Development unaccompanied youth Laura Harris.

HB 1351 Primer — By. Rep. Rich Glorioso

• The term, “unaccompanied youth,” as defined in federal law means youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

• Unaccompanied Youth are generally between the ages of 16-22, and FL DOE currently estimates that there are almost 7,000 officially recognized "unaccompanied youth" in Florida.

• Unaccompanied youth are generally too old to enter into the foster care system, yet they have no parent or guardian to legally sign for them. They are our true “gap kids."

• Because they do not have a guardian, but are not 18, they can neither participate in activities that require a guardian’s signature nor can they get access to their own medical or legal documents such as a birth certificate.

• Under the law before HB1351, minors who meet certain conditions can be granted the same rights as an adult. This process is known in current law as “having the disabilities of nonage removed”. This is otherwise known as emancipation.

• This bill seeks to provide a certified homeless youth or a minor who has had the disabilities of nonage to be issued a certified copy of his or her birth certificate upon request, as well as give unaccompanied youth the rights of an emancipated youth.

• Language in the bill clarifies any concern that youth may take advantage of the allowance for emancipation.

• As is the current law for other youth wishing emancipation, unaccompanied youth would still have to go to court to receive emancipation, but their cases would be expedited, and they would not have to prepay court fees.

• Florida Legal Services has indicated that they would make representing this group a priority.

• Staff Analysis shows this bill does not have a fiscal cost.