Sen. Barbara Sharief

Use of Substances Affecting Cognitive Function; Requiring medical examiners to take specified actions when performing an autopsy on a decedent who is a violent offender; requiring that autopsy reports for such individuals include certain findings and information; authorizing the release of certain patient records to law enforcement agencies without patient authorization under certain circumstances; requiring school safety specialists to provide school district staff with certain training on the adverse effects of specified substances, etc.

Historic Cemeteries Program; Requiring local governments to approve applications from historic African-American cemeteries to change the land use category and zoning district of excess vacant land under certain conditions, etc.

Maddy summarySB 154 revises Florida's eligibility rules for healthcare professionals seeking a license by endorsement under the MOBILE Act, directly affecting out-of-state healthcare workers aiming to practice in Florida. It updates the list of ineligibilities, notably adding that applicants reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank may still qualify if the reported conduct wouldn't violate Florida law, allowing boards to approve with conditions like practice restrictions or probation. The bill also clarifies ineligibility for those with pending disciplinary actions, felony convictions related to healthcare, or revoked licenses in other states. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not change the core purpose of facilitating interstate licensure for healthcare professionals.

Medicaid Provider Networks; Requiring Medicaid managed care plans and providers to negotiate mutually acceptable rates, methods, and terms of payment for purposes of Medicaid reimbursements; requiring plans to pay dentists at certain rates; specifying additional requirements for the provider network contracts under the statewide managed care program, etc.

Residential Impacts from Mining Activities; Citing this act as the “Residential Blasting Safety and Transparency Act”; providing that the Division of State Fire Marshal retains sole and exclusive authority to adopt standards, limits, and regulations for explosives used for certain mining activities; requiring certain persons to monitor and record blast sites; revising the administrative procedures and remedies for filing a petition for alleged damage due to the use of explosives in connection with construction materials, etc.

Homestead Property Tax Benefits for Long-term Owners and Permanent Residents; Requiring that certain property be assessed at less than just value when the person who owns the property has owned and used the property as his or her permanent residence for a specified timeframe; providing that the assessed value of such property shall be a certain amount and may not be increased under certain circumstances; specifying a homestead exemption for certain long-term owners and residents; authorizing periods of ownership and residency to be aggregated, etc.

Medicaid Providers; Requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration to include specified requirements in its contracts with Medicaid managed care plans; defining the term “outside of regular business hours”, etc.

Homestead Exemption for Persons 65 and Older; Expanding the homestead exemption for persons 65 years and older to include a total exemption of homestead property from ad valorem taxation, other than for school district levies, for certain persons whose household income does not exceed a certain amount; authorizing the Department of Revenue to adopt emergency rules, etc.

Florida Museum of Black History; Establishing the Florida Museum of Black History Board of Directors; providing for the membership of the board; prohibiting specified members of the board from holding state or local elective office while serving on the board; requiring that the board work jointly with the Foundation for the Museum of Black History, Inc., etc.

Use of Professional Nursing Titles; Providing that licensed advanced practice registered nurses who hold specified degrees may use titles and abbreviations associated with those degrees in a specified manner; prohibiting such persons from holding themselves out to patients or prospective patients as a doctor in advertising without also clearly denoting their licensed profession, etc.