Rep. Susan Valdés

Leave for Living Organ Donation; Defines "living organ donor"; requires state agencies to grant administrative leave, not to exceed specified number of days, to allow employee to serve as living organ donor; specifies that such leave is in addition to other leave authorized by law; defines "employer" and "living organ donor"; requires certain employers to grant unpaid leave of absence to allow employee to serve as living organ donor; specifies length of such leave of absence; authorizes employers to grant paid or unpaid leave for period longer than required period of time; provides effective date.

Speech and Debate Education; Designates Florida Speech & Debate Week annually in February; subject to legislative appropriation, establishing Florida Debate Initiative, Inc., (FDI) as statewide speech & debate organization that performs certain functions in support of Florida Civics & Debate Initiative (FCDI) in DOE; provides duties of FDI & FCDI.

Child Care and Early Learning Services ; Revises minimum standards for child care facility licensing; removes provisions requiring family day care homes & large family child care homes to provide specified information to parents; prohibits residential property insurance policies from providing coverage for liability for claims arising out of, or in connection with, operations of large family child care homes; prohibits insurers from denying, cancelling, & refusing to renew policy for residential property insurance on basis that policyholders or applicants operate large family child care homes; revises requirements for certain prekindergarten curricula; establishes review & approval process for such curricula; creates Florida Child Care Fund; requires DOE direct-support organization to administer fund; requires that funds from state sources & interest earnings be accounted separately; provides for use of funds; provides for establishment & administration of Center for Early Childhood Professional Recognition under specified circumstance.

Children's Initiatives; Establishes Bay County 32401 Children's Initiative in Bay County & Pompano RYZE Children's Initiative in Broward County; provides for projects to be managed by corporations not for profit that are not subject to control, supervision, or direction by any department of state; requires corporations to be subject to state public records & meeting requirements & procurement of commodities & contractual services requirements; requires designated children's initiatives to assist in creation of community-based service networks & programming that provides certain services for children & families residing in disadvantaged areas of state; provides for evaluation, fiscal management, & oversight of projects.

Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Initiative ; Requires DOEA to contract for development & implementation of Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Initiative; provides requirements for initiative; provides requirements for type of entity with which department contracts; requires Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee to make certain recommendations to department & Legislature annually.

Memory Care; Requires memory care providers to follow specified standards of operation in providing memory care services; provides requirements for resident contracts; provides requirements for memory care facilities; prohibits certain facilities from advertising, representing, or holding themselves out as memory care providers unless such facilities meet specified criteria; removes provisions relating to special care for persons with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other memory disorders.

Housing for Veterans; Establishes Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program in certain counties, subject to legislative appropriation; requires Florida Housing Finance Corporation, in consultation with other entities & persons, to oversee specified aspects of pilot program; provides responsibilities of corporation for pilot program; requires contracted program administrators to maintain certain functions of pilot program; authorizes certain landlords to apply to contracted program administrator to request funding from Vacancy Relief & Risk Mitigation Trust Fund; provides purpose of such trust fund; provides requirements to request funding from trust fund; requires certain case managers to assist contracted program administrator; requires contracted program administrator to maintain & provide certain documentation to corporation; requires entity responsible for certain functions to maintain any supporting documentation; authorizes corporation to rely on certifications, determinations, & documentation provided by specified entities; provides that funding for pilot program is awarded on first-come, first-served basis; authorizes corporation to suspend acceptance of applications; requires specified notice.

Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association; Requires agency to recover full amount of medical assistance from neurological injury compensation association; 766.302, F.S.; provides & revising definitions; removes limitation on time subject to plan compensation; provides & revising definitions; removes limitation on time subject to plan compensation; revises terminology; revises provisions relating to filing claims; conforms cross-reference; revises items that are eligible for award providing compensation; requires compensation to be provided for certain actual expenses; requires compensation for costs of major medical health coverage; requires plan to reimburse certain payments made for services provided; exempts expenses for professional custodial care in certain circumstances; requires that, upon entry of final order for compensation, parents or legal guardians obtain private health insurance or submit application for Medicaid program; requires directors to maintain plan of operation; requires certain assessments to be paid into Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association at certain times for certain purposes; requires plan of operation to include provision for fraud; removes obsolete provisions; revises provisions relating to actuarial valuation of plan; requires association to submit quarterly estimates; requires association to state whether plan is actuarially sound; authorizes transfer of funds to association from Insurance Regulatory Trust Fund if plan is not actuarially sound; requires association to require each entity to issue casualty insurance and pay annual assessment; provides requirements for annual assessments; requires increase in assessments after certain findings.

Maddy summaryHB 567 revises Florida's continuing education requirements for podiatrists who prescribe controlled substances. It mandates that these practitioners complete at least 2 hours of continuing education focused on the safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances every two years, in addition to the existing 40-hour biennial requirement. The bill directly affects podiatrists registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and authorized to prescribe controlled substances. The change takes effect July 1, 2026, and aligns Florida's requirements with federal prescribing standards for these medical professionals.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the University of Florida Diabetes Institute within the University of Florida College of Medicine to advance research, prevention, treatment, and education related to all forms of diabetes. The institute will conduct scientific research, develop clinical care strategies, provide patient services, train healthcare professionals, and collaborate with various organizations while maintaining a secure data repository for research purposes. It authorizes the institute to run statewide pilot programs, convene a research consortium to coordinate efforts and seek funding, and submit annual reports to state leadership starting in 2027. The institute's operations will depend on available funding from the state budget or other sources.