2003-2004

03-04 E

“Parental Rights” –  Proposes the creation of s.26,Art.I of the State Constitution to provide certain constitutional rights of parents with respect to their children, to require the Legislature to protect such rights by appropriate legislation, and to exclude application of the section to certain minors and laws.

03-04 B

“Health Care Facilities” – This bill allows nursing homes to convert beds to alternative uses as specified and provides restrictions on uses of funding under assisted-living Medicaid waivers.  It also requires nursing-home-bed-need methodology established by AHCA by rule to include goal of maintaining specified district average occupancy rate.

03-04 A

“Biomedical Research”  - Creates the James and Esther King Center for Universal Research to Eradicate Disease, provides and duties; creates an advisory council; expands the long-term goals and funding of  the Florida Biomedical include the cure of specified diseases; creates the Florida Cancer Research Cooperative; provides for a board of directors; provides the cooperative’s mission and duties.

“Certified Geriatric Specialty Nursing”  -  Creates the Clara Ramsey Care of the Elderly Act; requires the Agency for Workforce Innovation to establish a pilot program for delivery of certified geriatric specialty nursing education; specifies eligibility requirements for certified nursing assistants to obtain certified geriatric specialty nursing education; Specifies requirements for education of certified nursing assistants to prepare for certification as a certified geriatric specialist; creates a Certified Geriatric Specialty Nursing Initiative Steering Committee; requires the AWI to conduct or contract for an evaluation of the pilot program delivery of certified geriatric specialty nursing education; provides requirements for persons to become certified geriatric specialists; provides practice standards and grounds for which certified geriatric specialists may be subject to discipline by the Board of Nursing; includes certified geriatric specialists in the Medical Education Reimbursement and Loan Repayment Program and the Nursing Student Load Forgiveness Program.

03-04

“Health Care Facilities” – This bill allows nursing homes to convert beds to alternative uses as specified and provides restrictions on uses of funding under assisted-living Medicaid waivers.  It also requires nursing-home-bed-need methodology established by AHCA by rule to include goal of maintaining specified district average occupancy rate; authorizes and establishes additional regional perinatal intensive care center in Tampa.

“Victims of Sexual Battery Services” – Provides legislative intent that will enhance the availability of services to victims of sexual battery.  Creates “Sexual Battery Victims” Access to Services Act and authorizes the Department of Health to contract with statewide nonprofit association for purpose of allocating funds to rape crisis center.  Requires that funds be used to provide sexual battery recovery services to victims of sexual battery and their families.

“Rape Crisis Program Trust Fund” – This bill creates said trust fund within the Department of Health.  Such trust fund will be the funding system which will receive dollars from state sources including a $151 fine on convicted sex offenders.  This fund will be a stable source of funding for sexual assault services that have never existed in Florida.

“Substance Abuse and Mental Health” – The legislation creates a not-for-profit organization, twelve members appointed by the Governor, Speaker and Senate President know as the Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health corporation to provide oversight and policy recommendations for a fully developed and integrated mental health and substance abuse system.  Provides for evaluation of the systems and their management by OPPAGA and the Auditor General.  The bill provides for a new payment methodology and the expansion of the establishment of single managing entities for delivery of comprehensive behavioral health services to all Medicaid recipients in an AHCA area.  Also, the accreditation requirements are amended for behavioral health services to prevent duplication.

“Hillsborough County Aviation Authority” – Codifies, reenacts, and amends Authority’s special acts.  This bill provides for compliance with federal law in expenditure of federal monies, provides for rights of employees, provides act is additional, alternative, and complete method for exercise of powers by Authority, provides purpose of Authority, provides for alcoholic beverage licenses owned by Authority and for others operating on Authority property, and provides for bonds.

“Social Services” – This bill includes a number of provisions relating to community based social services for child welfare.  It creates the Local Funding Revenue Maximization Act to enhance the abilities of agencies and local political subdivisions to achieve maximum federal matching funds for as many clients as possible to meet critical local human services needs.  The bill provides for changes to community based care by requiring readiness assessments before DCF transfers services to community based care lead agencies.  Directs OPPAGA and the Auditor General to do an evaluation of the process for determining the readiness of the districts.  Provides for the creation of the Florida Child Welfare loan forgiveness program to attract and retain individual’s permits and provides parameters for releasing information from DCF records for missing children.  Provides for the development of core competencies for child welfare training and certification.

“Health Care Facilities” – This bill allows nursing homes to convert beds to alternative uses for the elderly.  Provides for recommendations of the certificate of need workgroup that address CON related requirements especially creating criteria for hospital cardiac care services and allowing expedited reviews for nursing home replacement or transfer of beds to another facility.