SB 1606 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Patient Access to Records

Summary

Patient Access to Records; Requiring a mental health service provider to furnish records within a specified timeframe after receiving a request for such records; requiring a substance abuse service provider to furnish and provide access to records within a specified timeframe after receiving a written request from an individual or the individual’s legal representative; revising the timeframe within which a nursing home facility must provide access to, and copies of, resident records after receiving a request for such records, etc.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 10, 2025 Last action Apr 30, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 1606 c1 → S 1606 c2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly expands patient access to medical records by shortening response times, adding extension options for providers, and clarifying record formats. It also shifts authority for subpoenaing hospital records from the Agency for Health Care Administration to the Department of Health and updates definitions across multiple statutes to ensure consistency.

Scope change

The bill expands applicability to mental health and substance abuse service providers with specific record access requirements, while maintaining existing protections for psychiatric and substance abuse records under separate statutes.

REQUIREMENT

Changed clinical records response time from 14 working days to 14 business days for mental health providers

Added ability for providers to extend record delivery deadlines by up to 14 business days with written notice

Updated record delivery requirements to specify providers must furnish records in requested format if readily producible

Added requirement for providers to offer records through multiple formats including web portals, email, and physical media

DEFINITION

Created new definition for 'designated record set' to clarify which records patients can access

ENFORCEMENT

Transferred subpoena authority for hospital records from Agency for Health Care Administration to Department of Health

TIMELINE

Established 28 business day timeline for providing additional requested records beyond initial 14-day period

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Apr 16, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Rules, 04/21/25, 2:00 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; YEAS 5 NAYS 3

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, 04/10/25, 8:30 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 04/01/25, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building --Motion to Reconsider Adopted

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 03/25/25, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building --Pending Reconsideration (Unfavorable; YEAS 4 NAYS 4)

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Rules

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor