Senate Appropriations Committee on Health advances package of health bills

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services on Thursday advanced a slate of health measures, voting to report each bill favorably to the full Senate.

The committee, chaired by Chair Trumbull, moved forward bills addressing drowning prevention, pediatric emergency department readiness, foster-care policy, veteran dental assistance, human-trafficking training for nurses, and provider grandfathering for federally designated shortage areas. Committee roll calls and chair announcements showed each item was reported favorably following presentations, limited public testimony and, in some cases, minor amendments.

Among the bills advanced were Senate Bill 428 to expand the age eligibility of Florida’s swim-lesson voucher program, CS for Senate Bill 68 requiring pediatric emergency policies and the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment, CS for Senate Bill 606 adding drowning-prevention materials to postpartum education, CS for Senate Bill 96 revising the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program and removing a $500,000 appropriation from the bill, CS for Senate Bill 340 requiring a two-hour human-trafficking training for nurses before NCLEX, CS for Senate Bill 7018 changing foster-care visitor screening thresholds and making the Step Into Success program permanent, and CS for Senate Bill 1480 creating a grandfathering pathway for ACN certificate holders.

The committee recorded support forms and brief public testimony on several items: advocates, health associations and community members were noted as waving in support during the record. Where amendments were offered, committee members adopted them without recorded objection; for example, an amendment aligning SB 68 with House language on reporting dates was approved before passage to the Senate.

The bills now proceed in the Senate process for further consideration. The committee adjourned after reporting the items favorably.