Rep. Robin Bartleman wants to ensure children entering out-of-home care in Florida are provided with appropriate luggage when traveling.
The Weston Democrat filed a bill (HB 279) that recognizes that children can suffer emotional harm when they are forced to carry their belongings in trash bags while entering foster care. The measure aims to mandate that children have access to reusable, durable luggage — such as backpacks and suitcases — to promote emotional well-being and dignity during transitions.[1]
The Department of Children and Families (DCF[2]) would be responsible for supplying luggage to children in its custody. The luggage must be suitable for storing and transporting the child’s belongings, and it would become the child’s property thereafter and cannot be reclaimed by caregivers or DCF.
Known as the “Fostering with Dignity Act,” the bill would amend and revise two Florida Statutes to update the requirement that children be given luggage upon being placed in care, and to include that the luggage is part of the child’s right to dignity.[3][4]
According to Foster Love, while trash bags provide an easy solution, they can unintentionally signal that a child’s belongings, and by extension the child, are not worth the dignity of having a real bag. The group provides durable duffle bags through their Sweet Case initiative to help children feel valued.[5]
The group also notes that as of 2025, Florida has more than 20,000 children in foster care, with the average age around 8 years old. The children were predominately placed in care due to parental drug issues and abuse. Over half of those in foster care were placed in homes with non-relatives in 2021, while 33% of those children experienced multiple placements.[6]
Under the legislation, DCF would be required to maintain a decentralized luggage supply, develop procedures for storage and distribution, and collaborate with community agencies, advocacy groups and business partners to coordinate logistics and distribution of the luggage.
DCF would also need to pursue strategic partnerships and accept donations or grants and provide luggage to each child during their initial placement or subsequent placement if they had not yet received it.[7]
The Department would be required to record each instance where a trash bag is used and include the reason why luggage was not provided.
An annual report would also need to be submitted to the Legislature detailing trash bag use statistics and justifications, inventory numbers and how luggage supply is managed.
Funding sources for the initiative would include federal funds such as Title IV-E assistance, matching grants or donations from community and business entities, and through public-private partnerships.
DCF’s direct-support organization would be responsible for collecting and administering funding to support the program.
If passed, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2026.