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As the 2025 Legislative Session begins on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the FOMA is committed to advocating for patient safety and access to the highest quality physician-led care—a proven health care delivery model centered on the relationship between patients and their physicians. 

Building on previous achievements, the FOMA will work to preserve and, where possible, increase funding for critical programs such as the Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education, Graduate Medical Education, the Slots for Docs Program, and the Training, Education, and Clinicals in Health (TEACH) Funding Program. These initiatives are vital in addressing physician shortages and expanding access to quality care.

Together with our partners, the FOMA will advocate for enhancing payment rates for physicians treating Medicaid patients, providing increased fairness in dispute resolution with health plans, and reducing burdensome prior authorization requirements. In addition, we will work to prevent insurer practices that place physicians at a financial disadvantage, pursuing legislation to address concerns surrounding insurer-mandated forms of payment and retroactive denials. 

Rep. Webster Barnaby & Steve Winn

Jason D. Winn, Esq., &  Sen. Erin Grall

The FOMA opposes scope-of-practice expansion that compromises patient safety. Finally, the FOMA opposes legislation to broaden who can file medical malpractice claims. 

Senate Bills on Committee Agenda

The Senate has released its calendar for Monday, March 3, and Tuesday, March 4. Below is a breakdown of the committee meetings and the bills on their agendas. The House has not released its calendar as of the time and date of this report.

Senate Community Affairs Committee, Monday, March 3, 2025

SB 0068 Health Facilities Authorities

This legislation expands the definition of "health facility" to include not-for-profit entities and authorizes health facility authorities to issue loans, refinance bonds, and execute agreements. It establishes requirements for project financing, including valid certificates of need, maintenance obligations, and payment prioritization. Authorities can secure bonds through trust agreements and revenues from fees or rents while clarifying bondholder protections, refinancing, and revenue management provisions.

Senate Judiciary Committee, March 4

SB 0514: Medical Malpractice Review Committees

This legislation expands the definition of a "medical review committee" to include committees of the Department of Children and Families or a managing entity, along with the employees, agents, and consultants who review treatment services. It maintains that a committee's proceedings, investigations, and records remain confidential, ensuring they are neither discoverable nor admissible in civil or administrative actions concerning the matters reviewed. 

SB 0734: Wrongful Death Actions

This legislation revises wrongful death provisions in Florida, removing restrictions that prevent adult children and the parents of adult children from recovering certain damages in medical negligence cases. 

Senate Health Policy Committee, March 4

SB 0526: Nursing Education Programs

This legislation revises Florida's nursing education program requirements to strengthen oversight and accountability.

SB 0714 Nonopioid Advance Directives

This legislation requires the Department of Health to create a voluntary nonopioid advance directive form, enabling patients to refuse opioid treatments if they become incapacitated. A valid directive must be signed by the patient and a licensed physician and placed in the patient’s medical record at a chosen healthcare facility or with their primary care physician. Patients can revoke it at any time. Health care providers are granted immunity from civil and criminal liability when administering opioids during a medical emergency without knowledge of the directive unless their actions amount to gross negligence or willful misconduct.

SB 0170 Quality of Care in Nursing Homes

This legislation revives and updates consumer satisfaction survey requirements for nursing homes by mandating annual, validated surveys and publishing aggregated data online. It also strengthens facility oversight by updating medical director qualifications, requiring regular patient safety culture surveys, and integrating electronic health record data into the state health information exchange.

Senate Criminal Justice Committee, Tuesday, March 4

SB 0168 Mental Health

This legislation enhances mental health interventions and diversion programs in the judicial system by expanding training, encouraging grant-supported crisis response efforts (including Veterans Treatment Courts), and allowing community-based programs for misdemeanor or ordinance violations. It establishes mandatory mental health evaluations for certain defendants, sets conditions for involuntary examinations and release, and authorizes state attorneys to recommend screenings that could lead to dismissal upon successful program completion.

Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee, March 4

SB 0398 Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Awareness

This legislation directs the Department of Elderly Affairs to establish an Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Program in partnership with a statewide nonprofit experienced in supporting individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia. The Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee will annually evaluate the program and recommend funding needs, with an initial allocation of $1.5 million for FY 2025-26.

FOMA Bill Tracking

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