Sen. Gayle Harrell

Victims of Domestic Violence and Dating Violence; Requiring the Division of Telecommunications within the Department of Management Services to consult with certain entities to conduct a feasibility study regarding a specified alert system; providing requirements for such alert system; authorizing victims of dating violence to apply to participate in the Attorney General’s address confidentiality program; requiring the Attorney General to designate certain entities to assist victims of dating violence applying to be address confidentiality program participants, etc.

Human Trafficking Education for Nurse Licensure; Revising requirements for initial licensure as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, beginning on a specified date, to include completion of a certain course on human trafficking, etc.

Higher Education; Establishing the Florida Center for Nursing within the University of South Florida; providing that a specified fee waiver applies to a student’s out-of-pocket expenses for tuition and fees after other aid is applied; providing that the LINE Fund was established for shortages in health science professions in addition to nursing; requiring institutions awarded grant funds to submit an annual report by a certain date to the center instead of the Board of Governors or the Department of Education; requiring the Office of Reimagining Education and Career Help to provide specified data to the department, etc.

Maddy summarySB 572 updates ethics rules for Florida public employees by expanding the definition of "relative" to explicitly include foster parents and foster children. This change affects public employees whose foster family relationships might create conflicts of interest, such as when a foster parent or child has business dealings with the employee's agency. The bill amends Section 112.312 of Florida Statutes to add foster parents (while the employee was a minor) and foster children to the list of relationships covered under ethics laws. These revised definitions will apply to existing rules, such as the gift restrictions for school board members in Section 1001.421, effective July 1, 2026.

Residential Living Arrangements; Providing that a community residence is a residential use of property; providing that a family community residence or transitional community residence constitutes a residential use allowed in specified zoning districts if certain requirements are met; providing that a proposed community residence may receive a reasonable accommodation if the sponsoring entity demonstrates that specified requirements are met; requiring that a recovery community be licensed or certified by a licensing or certifying entity, etc.

Grand Jury Testimony and Materials; Authorizing a court to disclose certain grand jury testimony and materials in certain circumstances to further justice; requiring the clerk of court to take possession of and preserve certain grand jury materials; requiring the clerk of court to maintain a certain chain of custody list for such materials during a grand jury proceeding in a specified manner; requiring the state attorney and his or her employees to preserve certain grand jury materials, etc.

Newborn Screenings; Citing this act as “Mattie’s Law”; requiring that newborns, beginning on a specified date, be screened for biliary atresia; requiring the Department of Health to consult with the Genetics and Newborn Screening Advisory Council before adopting certain rules; requiring hospitals that provide birthing services to screen for biliary atresia in a specified manner, etc.

Coordinated Screening and Progress Monitoring; Specifying requirements for a school district if a student exhibits characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia; providing circumstances under which a student is required to undergo further screening for dyslexia or dyscalculia, etc.

Speech and Debate Education; Creating the Florida Speech and Debate Hall of Fame; designating Florida Speech and Debate Week annually in February; establishing the Florida Debate Initiative, Inc., (FDI) as a statewide speech and debate organization that performs certain functions in support of the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) in the Department of Education; requiring the Board of Governors of the State University System and the State Board of Education to develop specified undergraduate and graduate coursework, certificates, and micro-credentials, etc. APPROPRIATION: $2,400,000

Recovery Residence Accountability and Protection Act; Citing this act as the “Recovery Residence Accountability and Protection Act of 2025”; revising legislative findings; requiring any person, entity, or organization that owns, operates, or manages a recovery residence to obtain and maintain certification through the Department of Children and Families; deleting a requirement that the certification program is voluntary; deleting obsolete language; specifying the criteria for active management of a recovery residence, etc.