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Resolution 153-1992 County Transportation Program F:LEli jr" '92 hl\r, 2) ,) 1 :i ( RESOLUTION NO. 153 -1992 -..I.!t. _ ~1'JNrW' A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMIS- S lONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLOR IDA, ENABLING U~D PREGNANT MINORS TO QUALIFY FOR AND HAVE ACCESS TO THE MONROE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM 1 ~ ~ .If .A_ WHEREAS, the Monroe County Transportation Program provides transportation services for the eighteen year and over population of Monroe County, without regard to race, color, creed, sex, national origin or handicap, on a space available basis; and WHEREAS, the primary reason for the Monroe County Transpor- tation Program's age restriction is that it is an adult program funded by Title III of the Older Americans Act, its present target group and the current primary users of the service is the senior citizen population, and there are concerns on the part of the program's administrators that, were they to remove the eighteen and under ban, parents would place their unaccompanied children aboard the service, for uses significantly altering the program's intent; and WHEREAS, there exists a genuine need to provide transporta- tion services to unwed pregnant minors so that they may receive all transportation services consist~nt with the spirit and purpose of the Monroe County Transportation Program and primarily for, but not limited to services in conjunction with their prenatal care such as visits to doctor's offices, clinic appoint- ments and hospital visits; and WHEREAS, for purposes of qualifying for such federally funded programs such as Medicaid, an unwed pregnant minor is merely required to demonstrate a showing of indigency, and not demonstrate eligibility by being eighteen or over, and therefore, is treated as an "emancipated adult" under federal law guidelines for such program eligibility; and w1iEREAS, the Monroe Count:y Transportation Program, which prohibits unwed pregnant minors from eligibility, using the rationale that they are not emancipated adults for purposes qualifying for of transportation eligibility, could be found to be discriminatory and in conflict with federal guidelines; and WHEREAS, FSA Sec. 1.01(14) and 743.07, which define a minor in the State of Florida as any person who has not attained the age of eighteen years, has been modified, and the disability of non-age has been removed, under Florida law, as to: A minor who is married or has been married or subsequently becomes married (FSA Sec. 743.01); enabling an unwed pregnant minor to consent to medical and surgical care and services for herself and for her child (FSA Sec. 743.065), and enabling an unmarried minor mother to execute a valid consent to the adoption of her child (FSA Sec. 156); and WHEREAS, in the event that unwed pregnant minors were married, they would be considered adults under Florida law; now therefore BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, Section 1. That the Mayor/Chairman of the Board hereby authorizes the use of the Monroe County Transportation Program by unwed pregnant minors for the purpose of accessing such transpor- tation services consistent with the spirit and purpose of the program and so anticipated by it. Section 2. That the disability of non-age is hereby removed as to unwed pregnant minors for the limited purposes of their consideration as adults for the purpose of qualifying for eligibility under the services provided by the Monroe County Transportation Program. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 11 th day of March 1992. - Mayor Harvey Yes - Mayor Pro Tem London Yes ... Commissioner Cheal Yes -" Commissioner Jones Yes - Commissioner Stormont Yes ....- BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA . -~ BY:~_:'>~~;~:;-rman ~ (SEAL) ATTEST: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, CLERK By: By APP#f) AS T) FORM ANr~Ot!.~ n Att.,orn?'S Offictl _,' .'::.l '-l 7.-- Date