SB 126 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Prescription Hearing Aids

Summary

Prescription Hearing Aids; Authorizing the distribution of prescription hearing aids through the mail to patients 18 years of age or older before a scheduled telehealth appointment with a Florida-licensed audiologist or hearing aid specialist, respectively, if certain requirements are met; authorizing the sale of prescription hearing aids through the mail to patients 18 years of age or older who have been fitted for such hearing aids by a licensed audiologist or licensed hearing aid specialist, respectively, etc.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action Jun 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S 126 Filed → S 126 c1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to clarify and expand the rules for mailing prescription hearing aids in Florida. The original version allowed mailing hearing aids only after required testing procedures were conducted by a licensed professional. The committee substitute version adds specific age requirements (18+), clarifies the telehealth appointment process, and distinguishes between distribution before a fitting versus sale after a fitting has already occurred.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly applies to patients 18 years of age or older and clarifies the distinction between distributing hearing aids before a telehealth appointment versus selling them after a fitting has been completed.

ELIGIBILITY

Added explicit age requirement of 18 years or older for patients receiving mailed prescription hearing aids.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that hearing aids distributed before a telehealth appointment may not be activated until prescribed by a licensed audiologist or hearing aid specialist.

Added requirement that licensed professionals must conduct a fitting during or after the telehealth appointment to ensure physical and operational comfort.

Distinguished between distribution before a scheduled telehealth appointment and sale after a patient has already been fitted by a licensed professional.

TECHNICAL

Reorganized statute structure from single paragraph format to subsection format (1) and (2) for better legal clarity.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 19, 2025

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Mar 19, 2025

D Democratic10

10 Yea

100% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican28

28 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

CS passed; YEAS 39 NAYS 0

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 25 NAYS 0

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Rules, 03/12/25, 11:00 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Commerce and Tourism, 03/03/25, 1:00 pm, 110 Senate Building

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable by Health Policy; YEAS 10 NAYS 0

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 02/18/25, 1:45 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health Policy; Commerce and Tourism; Rules

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors