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Legislative Session
Update 2024
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✅This Wednesday marks the midpoint in
Florida's 60 day Legislative Session.
✅The following bills are in their last committees of reference in
both the House & Senate:
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SB 1112 & HB 1295 - Health Care Practitioner Titles and Abbreviations
by Senator Harrell and Rep Massullo
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Further regulates the way in which health care practitioners may represent their professions and educational background.
The bill specifies the titles and abbreviations that health care practitioners may use in advertisements, communications, and personal identification.
Any unauthorized use of a title, abbreviation, or educational degree qualifies as a misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent representation by the health care practitioner and constitutes grounds for discipline.
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The bill requires any advertisement for health care services naming a practitioner to identify the practitioner’s profession and educational degree.
The bill amends s. 456.072(1)(t), F.S., to provide that a practitioner’s failure to wear a name tag, which must include his or her name and profession, when treating or consulting with a patient, is grounds for discipline, unless he or she is providing services in his or her own office where the practitioner’s license is prominently displayed in a conspicuous area. If the practitioner chooses not to where a name tag under those latter conditions, the practitioner must verbally identify himself or herself to all new patients by name and profession in a manner that does not constitute the unlicensed practice of medicine.
The bill directs each professional board to establish rules determining how practitioners must comply with this requirement.
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SB 7050 & HB 1269- Marijuana
by Senator Burton and Rep Massullo
| The bill provides an effective date 30 days after the passage of a state constitutional amendment allowing the adult personal use of marijuana. | |
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Limit the potency of personal use marijuana to 30 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for marijuana in a form for smoking, 60 percent THC in all other forms except for edibles, and 200 milligrams of THC for whole edibles and 10 milligrams of THC per serving of an edible.
The bill also repeals a provision of ch. 2017-232, L.O.F.,1 which would automatically cause that chapter of Florida law to expire six months after the effective date of a constitutional amendment that alters the current constitutional authority for medical marijuana or is related to marijuana or cannabis.
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SB 1781 & HB 7021 - Mental Health & Substance Abuse
by Senator Grall and Rep Maney
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In Florida, the Baker Act provides a legal procedure for voluntary and involuntary mental health examination and treatment. The Marchman Act addresses substance abuse through a comprehensive system of prevention, detoxification, and treatment services. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health treatment services in Florida. The bill modifies the Baker Act and makes significant changes to the Marchman Act.
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SB 186 & HB 115 - Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases Policy Workgroup
by Senator Brodeur and Rep Bankson
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Creates the Justo R. Cortes Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Act to require the State Surgeon General to establish a PSP policy workgroup.
The bill requires the workgroup to be composed of health care providers, family members or caretakers of patients who have been diagnosed with PSP and other neurogenerative diseases, advocates, and other interested parties.
Requires the DOH to submit an annual report and a final report with findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, by January 4, 2026.
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SB 174 & HB 725 - Veterans' Long-term Care Facilities Admissions
by Senator Burgess and Rep Snyder
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Expands the eligibility for residency at a veterans’ home to include a spouse or surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran, or a parent of a child who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The bill revises the priority order for admission to a veterans’ home. The bill ranks in 5th place for admission a spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran and in 6th (last) place a parent of a child who died while in military service. These rankings preserve as a higher priority admission of a veteran over a nonveteran. | | |
SB 554 & HB 591 - Hot Car Death Prevention
by Senator Brdley and Rep Brannan
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Named “Ariya’s Act” in memoriam of 10-month-old Ariya Paige who died of a heatstroke after being left in a vehicle. The bill designates April as “Hot Car Death Prevention Month” to raise the public’s awareness of the dangers of leaving children unattended in motor vehicles and to educate the public on how to prevent children dying from vehicular heatstroke.
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SB & HB 581 - Swimming Lesson Voucher Program
Senator Hutson and Rep Busetta Cabrera
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Creates the Swimming Lesson Voucher Program within the DOH to increase water safety and to offer vouchers for swimming lessons, at no cost, to families with children ages four and under. The bill requires DOH to implement the voucher program and contract with swimming lesson vendors to establish a network of providers to participate in the voucher program. The bill requires DOH to establish a method for the public to apply for vouchers and for determining applicant eligibility criteria. | | |
SB 66 & HB 89 - Revive Awareness Day
Senator Brodeur and Rep Plakon
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Creates “Victoria’s Law,” and designates June 6th of each year as “Revive Awareness Day.”
The bill allows the Governor to issue an annual proclamation designating June 6th as “Revive Awareness Day.” The bill encourages the Department of Health (DOH) to hold events with the purpose of raising awareness of the dangers of opioid overdose and the availability and safe use of opioid antagonists.
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HB 1441 - Department of Health
by Anderson
Makes changes to several programs administered under the Department of Health (DOH).
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HB 1561 - Office Surgeries
by Bsetta Cabrera
Provides additional enforcement authority to the Department of Health (DOH) over offices in which physicians perform certain liposuction procedures, including gluteal fat grafting procedures.
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SB 238 - Claims Against Assisted Living Facilities
by Burton
Amends the Assisted Living Facilities Act to extend assisted living facilities (ALFs) the same substantive and procedural protections that apply to nursing homes.
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SB 1600 - Interstate Mobility
by Collins
Requires DOH to issue a license or certificate by endorsement within 15 days of receipt of all required documents for each of the 59 health care professions regulated by the DOH when the applicant meets specific criteria.
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SB 1612 - Adult Cardiovascular Care Standards
by Brodeur
The bill amends licensure requirements for Level I ACS programs.
Specifically, it authorizes programs to perform adult PCI for treatment of chronic total occlusions, and to use rotational or other atherectomy devices, or electrophysiology when performing PCI.
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SB 516 - Emergency Refills of Insulin & Equipment
by Rodriguez
Authorizes pharmacists who have received a prescription refill request from a patient but are unable to obtain an authorization from a prescriber, to dispense to the patient an emergency refill of insulin & insulin-related supplies or equipment to treat diabetes, not to exceed three nonconsecutive times per calendar year, as opposed to a “one-time emergency refill of one vial of insulin” as provided under current law.
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HB 935 - Home Health Care Services
by Franklin
Allows Medicaid to pay for home health services ordered by advanced practice registered nurses.
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SB 1640 - Payments for Health Care Services
by Altman
Establishes a 3-year statute of limitations for an action to collect medical debt for services rendered by certain health care facilities; requiring certain licensed facilities to post on their websites a consumer-friendly list of standard charges for a minimum number of shoppable health care services
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by Broduer
Amends s. 542.336, F.S., to prohibit any restrictive covenant entered into with an allopathic or osteopathic physician which restricts the physician from practicing medicine in any geographic area for any period of time after the termination of his or her contract or other employment relationship. The bill provides exceptions from the prohibition for restrictive covenants related to research, related to physicians whose individual compensation is $250,000 per year or more, or related to physicians who have an ownership interest in a medical business, practice, or entity and who sells a specified type of related asset. The bill specifies that its provisions apply to restrictive covenants entered into on or after July 1, 2024.
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SB 1320 - HIV Infection Prevention Drugs
by Calatayud
Allows licensed pharmacists to screen adults for HIV exposure and provide the results of such screening. A pharmacist who has screened a patient for HIV must advise the patient to seek further medical consultation or treatment from a physician. The bill also establishes a process by which a pharmacist may become certified to order and dispense postexposure prophylaxis under a collaborative practice agreement with a physician. The bill establishes minimum criteria for the certification which a pharmacist must obtain before they may order and dispense HIV infection prevention drugs. The bill outlines minimum requirements for the contents of the collaborative practice agreement, and requires pharmacies in which a pharmacist is providing services under such an agreement to submit an access-to-care plan to the BOP and DOH.
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HB 883 - Short-acting Bronchodilator Use in Public and Private Schools
by Koster
Amends the Education Code to provide a framework for public and private schools to treat students with asthma or otherwise in respiratory distress. The bill authorizes: Trained staff to administer bronchodilators to students in respiratory distress and includes civil immunity for good-faith administration. Schools to acquire and safely maintain a supply of bronchodilators. Allopathic and osteopathic physicians, physician assistants, and registered nurses to prescribe bronchodilators and components in the name of a public or private school. Licensed pharmacists to dispense bronchodilators and components pursuant to a prescription issued in the name of a public or private school.
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HB 309 - Rural Emergency Hospitals
by Shoaf
Changes Florida licensure requirements to allow rural hospitals complying with federal REH requirements to be licensed as a hospital by AHCA.
The bill updates statutory definitions to conform to the federal parameters.
The bill exempts licensed REHs from requirements applicable to all licensed hospitals but which REHs cannot meet under the federal standards.
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HB 1063 - Practice of Chiropractic Medicine
by Hunschofsky
Authorizes chiropractic physicians to adjust, manipulate, or treat the human body by the use of monofilament intramuscular stimulation, also known as dry needling, treatment for trigger points or myofascial pain.
Creates a licensure pathway for chiropractic physicians to practice in Florida when they obtained their bachelor’s level degree at a non-U.S. educational institution of higher education.
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HB 1405 - Acupuncture
by Altman
Revises the acupuncture practice act which regulates the practice and licensure of acupuncture in Florida. The bill updates terminology throughout the practice act to use contemporary terminology and creates a scope of practice for acupuncturists. The bill revises the educational requirements for a person seeking initial licensure as an acupuncturist and adds practice management to the list of subjects which may be included in continuing education courses for licensed acupuncturists.
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SB 1340 - Coordinated Systems of Care for Children
by Harrell
Requires managing entities to provide care coordinators for each school district and implement a coordinated system of care for children that have complex behavioral health needs. The bill requires the school districts to address the recommendations of the care coordinator and report annually to the Department of Education on the performance outcomes of the child’s treatment.
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SB 932 - Coverage for Diagnostic and Supplemental Breast Examinations
by Berman
Prohibits the imposition of cost-sharing requirements for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations by health insurance policies amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, that provide coverage for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations.
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