TAMPA, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 7065 into law Monday at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ indoor practice facility.
The child welfare bill focuses on encouraging fathers to take an active role in their children’s lives and provides grants to community-based membership programming.
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“This bill is tied to $70 million in funding to provide a wide array of family and youth support through our Department of Children and Families as well as our Department of Juvenile Justice,” he said. “They will be working very closely to support fatherhood throughout our state.”
DeSantis said the goal of the bill is to create awareness for the importance of fatherhood and give fathers the resources to stay in their children’s lives. The bill would also provide grant funding to Florida nonprofit organizations that center around fatherhood, like All Pro Dad, an organization created by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Tony Dungy.
“We’ve got programs, we’ve got community groups and nonprofits that want to be there to help and so we’re putting our money where our mouth is. We’re here showing the importance of this,” DeSantis said. “But you have to be willing to do the right thing and be present in your child’s life.”
The new law will also designate June as “Responsible Fatherhood Month.”
The law goes into effect July 1.