Rep. Dana Trabulsy

Education; Revises provisions relating to critical teacher shortage areas, Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, Florida School for Competitive Academics, use of certain educational funds, emergency opioid antagonists, corporal punishment, background screening requirements for private schools, prekindergarten programs, students of military families, K-12 courses, instruction, standards, & bencharks, New Worlds Tutoring Program, & educator certifications.

Insulin Administration by Direct Support Professionals and Relatives ; Defines "direct-support professional"; authorizes direct-support professionals & relatives of clients in group home facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities to administer insulin as prescribed to client if specified conditions are met; provides group home facilities, direct-support professionals, & relatives of clients with immunity from civil liability for damages & civil & criminal penalties; authorizes unlicensed direct service provider to supervise self-administration of insulin & epinephrine through use of specified devices.

Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death; Removes provision that precluded certain persons from recovering damages for medical negligence resulting in death.

Education; Establishes the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys within Florida Memorial University, rather than the Department of Legal Affairs; requiring Florida Memorial University, rather than the Office of the Attorney General, to provide staff and administrative support to the council; providing that the council's meeting times are approved by the president of Florida Memorial University, rather than the Attorney General; revising the number of members required for a quorum; authorizing members to appear by communications media technology; providing that members who appear by such technology are considered present and may be counted toward the quorum requirement; providing notice requirements for public meetings or workshops conducted by means of communications media technology.

Aggravated Animal Cruelty; Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to post on its website the names of certain individuals who have violated specified animal cruelty provisions; provides a sentencing multiplier for specified offenses of aggravated animal cruelty.

Medical Debt; Revises definition; provides exception to prohibition of facility engaging in extraordinary collection action to obtain payment for services for sale of certain debt.

Maddy summaryHB 519 allows medical practitioners (like doctors) to authorize certified paramedics to administer controlled substances during emergency medical care. This directly affects paramedics and the healthcare providers who oversee their work. The key provision requires a practitioner’s specific authorization for paramedics to use medications classified as controlled substances (such as opioids or sedatives) in urgent situations. It does not expand the types of drugs available but clarifies the process for their use under medical direction. The bill focuses on updating protocols for emergency care without changing drug classifications or creating new requirements for paramedics.

Special Observances; Designates August 21 of each year as "Fentanyl Awareness & Education Day"; encourages specified entities & public schools to sponsor events to promote awareness of dangers of fentanyl & potential overdoses, including education on specified topics.

Emergency Services; Removes limitation on number of red or red & white warning signals that certain vehicles may display; revises circumstances under which certain applicants for specified license are exempt from specified requirement; requires applicant seeking such exemption to submit sworn affidavit to DOH attesting to certain facts; revises number of counties that may be granted such exemption; prohibits licensed volunteer ambulance service from applying for, receiving funds under, or participating in certain grant programs.

State Land Management; Requiring public hearings for all updated conservation and nonconservation land management plans; requiring the Division of State Lands of the Department of Environmental Protection to make available to the public, within a specified timeframe, electronic copies of land management plans for parcels of a certain size and for parcels located in state parks; revising the duties of the Division of Recreation and Parks of the Department of Environmental Protection; specifying requirements for the management of parks and recreational areas held by the state; requiring the division to comply with specified provisions when granting certain privileges, leases, concessions, and permits; authorizing the division to acquire, install, or permit the installation or operation at state parks of campsites and cabins that meet certain requirements; prohibiting the division from authorizing certain uses or construction activities within a state park; prohibiting the division from installing or permitting the installation of any lodging establishment within the boundaries of a state park; requiring that individual management plans for parcels located within state parks be developed with input from an advisory group; requiring that the advisory group's required public hearings be noticed to the public within a specified timeframe, etc.