MIAMI — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three bills into law Tuesday to fund health care innovation, health care research and patient care in Florida.
The governor held the bill signing at the Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. The hospital's namesake and World Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus was present at the signing.
Senate Bill 1582, Senate Bill 7072 and House Bill 885 are designed to expand quality health care and innovation, the governor said.
Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis also spoke at the bill signing event, expressing her gratitude for the state's cancer research funding.
“I am grateful to join the governor today to sign legislation that will advance medical research and cures for Floridians, especially for pediatric and cancer patients across the state,” she said. “By fostering innovation, encouraging data sharing and cooperation, and expanding cancer-related resources, Florida will bring the fight against cancer to a whole new level.”
The governor's office released the following information about Senate Bill 1582, Senate Bill 7072 and House Bill 885.
Senate Bill 1582:
- Creates the Andrew John Anderson Pediatric Rare Disease Grant Program to provide grants to advance research and cures for rare pediatric diseases.
- Creates a new profession for environmental health technicians and allows them to perform septic tank inspections without a four-year degree.
- Clarifies the responsibility for administering newborn screenings and the submission of newborn screening cards.
- The bill also adds genetic counselors to the list of health care practitioners who may receive state lab results.
- Standardizes newborn, infant, and toddler health and hearing screening to ensure timely diagnoses of diseases.
Senate Bill 7072:
- Enhances the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program to include promoting high-quality, innovative health care for people undergoing cancer treatment in Florida and creates additional accountability measures for the program.
- Codifies the Cancer Connect Collaborative in statute and provides that the Collaborative is created within the Department of Health (DOH) to advise the Florida Department of Health and the Legislature on developing a holistic approach to the state’s efforts to fund cancer research, facilities, and treatments. Additionally, the Collaborative must:
- Advise the DOH on awarding grants issued through the Cancer Innovation Fund;
- Make recommendations on proposed legislation, rules, best practices, data collection and reporting, grant funds issuance, and other state policy proposals relating to cancer research or treatment; and
- Develop a long-range comprehensive plan for the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program by December 1, 2024.
- Revises membership of the Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council from 15 to 16 members and requires that one member be a representative of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
House Bill 885:
- Requires the Division of State Group Insurance and allows Florida Medicaid to provide coverage for biomarker testing for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and ongoing monitoring of diseases or conditions, to guide treatment decisions when such testing provides clinical utility as demonstrated by medical and scientific evidence.