Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 501 > Part I - General Provisions

• Activities of daily living: means functions and tasks for self-care, including ambulation, bathing, dressing, eating, grooming, and toileting, and other similar tasks. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Activities of daily living: means functions and tasks for self-care, including eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, ambulating, and other similar tasks. See Florida Statutes 429.65
• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• Administrator: means an individual at least 21 years of age who is responsible for the operation and maintenance of an assisted living facility. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Administrator: means a corporation not for profit incorporated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 617 and designated by the Florida Public Service Commission to administer the telecommunications relay service system and the distribution of specialized telecommunications devices pursuant to the provisions of this act and rules and regulations established by the commission. See Florida Statutes 427.703
• Adult family-care home: means a full-time, family-type living arrangement, in a private home, under which a person who owns or rents the home provides room, board, and personal care, on a 24-hour basis, for no more than five disabled adults or frail elders who are not relatives. See Florida Statutes 429.65
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• age in place: means the process of providing increased or adjusted services to a person to compensate for the physical or mental decline that may occur with the aging process, in order to maximize the person's dignity and independence and permit them to remain in a familiar, noninstitutional, residential environment for as long as possible. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Agency: means the Agency for Health Care Administration. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Agency: means the Agency for Health Care Administration. See Florida Statutes 429.65
• Agency: means the Agency for Health Care Administration. See Florida Statutes 429.901
• Aging in place: means remaining in a noninstitutional living environment despite the physical or mental changes that may occur in a person who is aging. See Florida Statutes 429.65
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• articles of incorporation: as used in this chapter shall be deemed to include the articles of conversion of a converted corporation. See Florida Statutes 425.17
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Assisted living facility: means any building or buildings, section or distinct part of a building, private home, boarding home, home for the aged, or other residential facility, regardless of whether operated for profit, which through its ownership or management provides housing, meals, and one or more personal services for a period exceeding 24 hours to one or more adults who are not relatives of the owner or administrator. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Assistive technology device dealer: means a person who is engaged in the business of selling assistive technology devices. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Assistive technology device lessor: means a person who leases an assistive technology device to a consumer, or holds the lessor's rights, under a written lease. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Assistive technology devices: means manual wheelchairs, motorized wheelchairs, motorized scooters, voice-synthesized computer modules, optical scanners, talking software, braille printers, environmental control devices for use by a person with quadriplegia, motor vehicle adaptive transportation aids, devices that enable persons with severe speech disabilities to in effect speak, personal transfer systems, and specialty beds, including a demonstrator, that a consumer purchases or accepts transfer of in this state for use by a person with a disability. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Basic services: include , but are not limited to, providing a protective setting that is as noninstitutional as possible; therapeutic programs of social and health activities and services; leisure activities; self-care training; rest; nutritional services; and respite care. See Florida Statutes 429.901
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Budget authority: Authority provided by law to enter into obligations that will result in outlays of Federal funds. Budget authority may be classified by the period of availability (one-year, multiyear, no-year), by the timing of congressional action (current or permanent), or by the manner of determining the amount available (definite or indefinite).
• center: means any building, buildings, or part of a building, whether operated for profit or not, in which is provided through its ownership or management, for a part of a day, basic services to three or more persons who are 18 years of age or older, who are not related to the owner or operator by blood or marriage, and who require such services. See Florida Statutes 429.901
• Collateral costs: means expenses incurred by a consumer in connection with the repair of a nonconformity, including the costs of obtaining an alternative assistive technology device. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Commission: means the Florida Public Service Commission. See Florida Statutes 427.703
• Committee membership: Legislators are assigned to specific committees by their party. Seniority, regional balance, and political philosophy are the most prominent factors in the committee assignment process.
• Community living support plan: means a written document prepared by a mental health resident and the resident's mental health case manager in consultation with the administrator of an assisted living facility with a limited mental health license or the administrator's designee. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Consumer: means any of the following:
  (a) The purchaser of an assistive technology device, if the assistive technology device was purchased from an assistive technology device dealer or manufacturer for purposes other than resale. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Consumer: means an individual; child, by and through its parent or legal guardian; business; firm; association; joint venture; partnership; estate; trust; business trust; syndicate; fiduciary; corporation; any commercial entity, however denominated; or any other group or combination. See Florida Statutes 501.203
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Cooperative agreement: means a written statement of understanding between a mental health care provider and the administrator of the assisted living facility with a limited mental health license in which a mental health resident is living. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Credit Score: A number, roughly between 300 and 800, that measures an individual's credit worthiness. The most well-known type of credit score is the FICO score. This score represents the answer from a mathematical formula that assigns numerical values to various pieces of information in your credit report. ^{Source: OCC}
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Deaf: means having a permanent hearing impairment and being unable to discriminate speech sounds in verbal communication, with or without the assistance of amplification devices. See Florida Statutes 427.703
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Demonstrator: means an assistive technology device used primarily for the purpose of demonstration to the public. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Department: means the Department of Elderly Affairs. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Department: means the Department of Legal Affairs. See Florida Statutes 501.203
• Department: means the Department of Elderly Affairs. See Florida Statutes 429.65
• Department: means the Department of Elderly Affairs. See Florida Statutes 429.901
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Disabled adult: means any person between 18 and 59 years of age, inclusive, who is a resident of the state and who has one or more permanent physical or mental limitations that restrict the person's ability to perform the normal activities of daily living. See Florida Statutes 429.65
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Dual sensory impaired: means having both a permanent hearing impairment and a permanent visual impairment and includes deaf/blindness. See Florida Statutes 427.703
• Emergency: means a situation, physical condition, or method of operation which presents imminent danger of death or serious physical or mental harm to facility residents. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Enforcing authority: means the office of the state attorney if a violation of this part occurs in or affects the judicial circuit under the office's jurisdiction. See Florida Statutes 501.203
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Extended congregate care: means acts beyond those authorized in subsection (18) which may be performed pursuant to part I of chapter 464 by persons licensed thereunder while carrying out their professional duties, and other supportive services that may be specified by rule. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Fair Credit Reporting Act: A federal law, established in 1971 and revised in 1997, that gives consumers the right to see their credit records and correct any mistakes. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Finance charge: The total cost of credit a customer must pay on a consumer loan, including interest. The Truth in Lending Act requires disclosure of the finance charge. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}
• Frail elder: means a functionally impaired elderly person who is 60 years of age or older and who has physical or mental limitations that restrict the person's ability to perform the normal activities of daily living and that impede the person's capacity to live independently. See Florida Statutes 429.65
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• Guardian: means a person to whom the law has entrusted the custody and control of the person or property, or both, of a person who has been legally adjudged incapacitated. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Hard of hearing: means having a permanent hearing impairment which is severe enough to necessitate the use of amplification devices to discriminate speech sounds in verbal communication. See Florida Statutes 427.703
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
• Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Limited nursing services: means acts that may be performed by a person licensed under part I of chapter 464. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Local exchange telecommunications company: means a telecommunications company certificated by the commission to provide telecommunications services within a specific geographic area. See Florida Statutes 427.703
• Managed risk: means the process by which the facility staff discuss the service plan and the needs of the resident with the resident and, if applicable, the resident's representative or designee or the resident's surrogate, guardian, or attorney in fact, in such a way that the consequences of a decision, including any inherent risk, are explained to all parties and reviewed periodically in conjunction with the service plan, taking into account changes in the resident's status and the ability of the facility to respond accordingly. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• Manufacturer: means a business entity that manufactures or produces assistive technology devices for sale and agents of that business entity, including an importer, a distributor, a factory branch, a distributor branch, and any warrantors of the manufacturer's assistive technology device, but not including an assistive technology device dealer. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Mental health resident: means an individual who receives social security disability income due to a mental disorder as determined by the Social Security Administration or receives supplemental security income due to a mental disorder as determined by the Social Security Administration and receives optional state supplementation. See Florida Statutes 429.02
• minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. ^{Source: OCC}
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Nonconformity: means a condition or defect of an assistive technology device which substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the device and which is covered by an express warranty applicable to the assistive technology device, but does not include a condition or defect that is the result of abuse, neglect, excessive wear, or unauthorized modification or alteration of the assistive technology device by a consumer. See Florida Statutes 427.802
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Operator: means the licensee or person having general administrative charge of an adult day care center. See Florida Statutes 429.901
• Order: means a cease and desist order issued by the enforcing authority as set forth in…. See Florida Statutes 501.203
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Owner: means the licensee of an adult day care center. See Florida Statutes 429.901
• Participant: means a recipient of basic services or of supportive and optional services provided by an adult day care center. See Florida Statutes 429.901
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: includes any natural person, firm, association, corporation, business trust, partnership, federal agency, state or political subdivision or agency thereof, or any body politic; and