This marks the third week of the 2024 Legislative Session.  In committee hearings this week, we continued to advance legislation as part of our "Live Healthy" initiative to grow Florida's health care workforce, increase access and incentivize innovation.  

The Committee on Health Policy, chaired by Senator Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland), passed Senate Bill (SB) 1600, Interstate Mobility, by Senator Jay Collins (R-Tampa), to create a streamlined licensure pathway for out-of-state providers moving to Florida. The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, chaired by Senator Ileana Garcia (R-Miami), passed SB 1758 by Senator Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford), Individuals with Disabilities, to expand services to Floridians with disabilities.

These bills, combined with SB 7016 and SB 7018, which already passed the Senate chamber with unanimous support, are intended to strengthen our state's health care system and ensure we have the workforce, infrastructure and innovative solutions to meet our growing demand for care, both now and in the future. 

Senate Committees Advance Streamlined Licensure Pathway, Expanded Services for Floridians with Disabilities 

Florida Senate Committees on Tuesday advanced two key components of the Senate’s “Live Healthy” agenda, designed to grow Florida’s health care workforce, increase access and incentivize innovation.  The Committee on Health Policy, chaired by Senator Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland), passed Senate Bill (SB) 1600, Interstate Mobility, by Senator Jay Collins (R-Tampa) to create a streamlined licensure pathway for out-of-state providers moving to Florida.  The Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs, chaired by Senator Ileana Garcia (R-Miami), passed SB 1758 by Senator Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford), Individuals with Disabilities, to expand services to Floridians with disabilities.

SB 1600 creates the MOBILE Act, which requires the Department of Health (DOH) to issue a license or certificate by endorsement within 15 days of receiving all required documents for out-of-state health care providers moving to Florida. To qualify, the provider must meet specific criteria, including various occupational testing, training and experience qualifications for their profession.

SB 1758 modifies the application process for Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) services, adding an online application process and streamlining the timeframe to determine eligibility. The bill reduces the age requirement for a person’s caregiver in pre-enrollment category 4 from 70 years of age to 60 years of age or older. This will allow more individuals to be included in category 4 of the pre-enrollment prioritization list.

Individuals may also be eligible for the consumer-directed care (CDC+) program, an alternative to the iBudget program.  In the CDC+ program, individuals can use a monthly budget allocation to purchase the long-term care services they feel are the best fit for their needs.  The bill requires iBudget waiver support coordinators to inform iBudget clients of the option to apply for the CDC+ program when creating family or individual support plans.  The bill appropriates $38.9 million in funding to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, to expand the number of Floridians with Disabilities who receive home and community-based care waiver services. 

Litigation Financing Transparency Measure Passes First Committee

On Monday, Senate Bill 1276, sponsored by Senator Jay Collins (R-Tampa) unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. This legislation takes a strong stance against nefarious and dubious third-party litigation financing practices in Florida’s judicial system.

These bad actors within third-party litigation financing compromise the integrity of our nation and state’s judicial system when hedge funds and other financiers operate in the shadows by influencing legal strategy, funding frivolous lawsuits and exposing our nation and state to undue foreign influence.
The Litigation Investment Safeguards and Transparency Act will protect Floridians and our courts.

Through this act, Florida will ensure that predatory practices that harm consumers, threaten the vitality of our small businesses and allow foreign interests to manipulate our justice system have no place in the Sunshine State.

Florida cannot allow foreign interests and adversaries like China, Cuba and Iran to influence our judicial system without accountability and transparency.  This legislation limits their influence and their ability to either profit off our court system or weaponize the judicial process against domestic businesses while exposing their influence and bringing their involvement out of the shadows.

Senate Bill 1276 protects the rights of every Floridian, empowering those who pursue the judicial system to rectify alleged harm to make decisions regarding their lawsuit.

This legislation also ensures that any foreign financing is disclosed to Florida officials, bringing the influence of foreign powers to light. Further, this legislation ensures that if an individual receives a settlement or wins a case – they take home a majority of the award or settlement, not the hedge fund or investor that financed the lawsuit.

Senate Bill 1276 continues Florida’s proud legacy of governing in the sunshine by protecting the integrity of Florida’s judicial system, empowering Floridians’ rights as litigants and enhancing transparency and accountability for litigation financiers and investors who try to influence our courts for their gain.

Legislation Holding Criminals Accountable Moves to Next Committee 

Tuesday, Senate Bill 1222, sponsored by Senator Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City) passed the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice with strong support.  This legislation enhances criminal penalties for theft under certain circumstances. 

Specifically, Senate Bill 1222 enhances penalties for looters who participate in “smash-and-grab” theft. “Smash-and-grab” is a form of organized retail theft where a large group of criminals break into or take over an establishment and steal thousands of dollars of merchandise.  During these “smash-and-grab” robberies, the offenders will often physically overpower the store’s employees, potentially resulting in serious injuries to employees, putting retailers at additional liability for injuries to employees’ safety. 

This legislation also strengthens criminal penalties for “porch pirating" where a thief brazenly steals a package or packages left outside an individual’s home.  In 2022, an estimated 260 million packages worth $19.5 billion were stolen via “porch pirating."

Further, Senate Bill 1222 provides increased penalties for those who commit retail crimes in coordination with five or more people and/or if these crimes are coordinated through social media. 

Hitting a 50-year low crime rate in 2021, Florida continues to establish itself as a law and order state.  The Florida Senate has worked to support our law enforcement officers to stop violent riots and keep our communities safe.  As we see the lawlessness of “smash-and-grab” looting and “porch pirating” occur more and more across the country, Florida must send a clear message that these crimes are not taken lightly and that Florida’s consumers will be protected. 

Rural Healthcare Expansion Passes First Committee 

Tuesday, Senate Bill 644, sponsored by Senator Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) passed the Senate Committee on Health Policy with unanimous support.  This legislation expands access to health care in rural communities across the State of Florida. Spearheaded by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples), expanded access to health care is a key priority of the Senate Republican Caucus for the 2024 Legislative Session.  This legislation builds upon the robust Live Healthy Legislative Package passed off the Senate Floor last week and addresses rural health care in a targeted manner. 

Senate Bill 644 allows rural emergency hospitals to enter into contracts that increase the funding they are eligible to receive through reimbursements, requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for services performed in rural emergency hospitals and increases access to health care in Florida’s rural communities. 

Florida’s rural communities are often the most underserved areas of our state concerning health care.  This legislation emphasizes supporting Florida’s rural emergency hospitals as they seek to provide critical health care services to communities that may otherwise have no access to emergency care. 

Legislation Combatting Human Trafficking Moves to Next Committee 

Monday, Senate Bill 796, sponsored by Senator Bryan Avila (R-Miami) passed the Senate Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability with unanimous support.  This legislation is the next step in Florida’s fight against human trafficking through enhanced awareness and training policies and requirements. 

Senate Bill 796 takes a targeted approach to enhance Florida’s efforts to combat human trafficking. Specifically, this legislation adds additional community involvement for the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking.  Additionally, the legislation increases awareness of Florida’s Human Trafficking Hotline, ensuring that Floridians have a responsive and effective hotline to contact if they or someone they know is a victim of human trafficking. 

This legislation also enhances awareness, accountability and training policies for specified Florida businesses. Under Senate Bill 796, public lodging establishments are required to provide human trafficking awareness training to all employees who are regularly interacting with guests.  This measure will ensure that front-line staff are more vigilant and aware of the warning signs of human trafficking.  This legislation also requires that companies who maintain a contract with the State of Florida attest that they do not utilize any form of coercion of labor. 

Florida has been an unfortunate hotspot for this horrific crime, third only to Texas and California.  Human trafficking is impacting families and communities across our country and is only exacerbated by the disaster on our southern border and the Biden Administration’s failure to govern.  This legislation further proves that when President Biden fails to act, Florida delivers. 

As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office any time that I can be of assistance.

Respectfully,

Kathleen C. Passidomo

Senate President
State Senator, District 28

Not paid for at taxpayer expense.

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