Staff Reports
Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2021 Legislative Session:
The Last 24
A slew of teachers, parents and students descended on the Capitol to speak out against a bill (SB 1834) that would limit classroom discussions of LGBTQ issues. Derided by Democrats and LGBTQ rights advocates as the “don’t say gay” bill, the legislation will give parents the right to sue if they feel their child’s school crossed the line. Despite the wave of public testimony opposing the bill, the measure cleared the Senate Education Committee with a party-line vote. In a rare move, the Biden administration issued a statement slamming the bill and the Republican lawmakers who supported it, saying it runs counter to the “basic values” of “children’s safety, protection and freedom.” Here’s your nightly rundown.
Make it rain. The House and Senate appropriations committees are poised to vote on their budget plans Wednesday, setting the stage for a floor vote later in Session.
Contentious care. A contentious plan (HB 7047) to overhaul the state’s mammoth health care safety net took its second step forward in the House.
Move along. A bill (SB 1664) banning protests outside of people’s homes cleared its second Senate committee.
Move along II. The House residential protest bill (HB 1571) also advanced, with an amendment making the violation punishable by up 60 days in jail, a $500 fine and six months of probation.
Union busting. Legislation (HB 1197) that would require public employee union members to reaffirm annually they want to remain members advanced to its final House panel.
Extra time. Legislation (HB 689) to give first responders more time to begin claims for work-related PTSD is approaching its final committee hearings.
Auxiliary funding. A House panel advanced a bill (HB 573) that would allow tourist development taxes to fund law enforcement.
Shoplifting spree. A retailer-backed bill (HB 1511) upping penalties for thieves who steal from multiple stores within a short period sped through the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Subcommittee.
Sack SACS. A Senate committee voted along party lines to advance a committee bill (SPB 7044) requiring state colleges and universities to switch up accreditation bodies.
Get paid. A House committee greenlit a bill (HB 461) to allow college-bound students to meet Bright Futures volunteer hour requirements by working a paid job.
One night only. An anti-human trafficking bill (SB 1852) prohibiting hotels from offering hourly rates cleared its first committee in the Senate.
Markel Act. A bill (SB 1408) that would allow grandparents to petition for visitation rights if their grandchild’s surviving parent is implicated in the other’s death cleared its second committee.
To boldly go. A proposal (HB 1303) to create a government authority to boost the Bold City space industry shot through the House Tourism, Infrastructure and Energy Subcommittee.
K-9 care. A bill (HB 25) allowing the owners of retired law enforcement dogs to recoup some of their pet’s vet costs passed its second House committee.
Quote of the Day
“Across the country, we’re seeing Republican leaders take actions to regulate what students can or cannot read, what they can or cannot learn, and most troubling, who they can or cannot be.”
— A White House statement on a bill limiting school discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Bill Day’s Latest
3 Questions
Tuesday night, Florida’s Historic Capitol building will be lit purple for Alzheimer’s awareness in a ceremony hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association of Florida.
More than 6.2 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease, with medical costs exceeding $355 billion annually. It is also the sixth-leading cause of death in the country.
Florida Politics spoke with Jennifer Braisted, the association’s state director of government affairs, about the disease and legislation meant to fight it.
Q: How prevalent is Alzheimer’s disease in Florida?
Braisted: Florida has the second-highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in the country. We have over 580,000 Floridians living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Our numbers are projected to rise by over 24% in just the next two years. We also have over 527,000 Floridians providing unpaid care to these individuals living with Alzheimer’s. It is imperative that Florida is a dementia-capable state so we can provide quality care now and are prepared for the continual increase in prevalence in our state.
Q: What steps has the legislature taken in recent years to help fight Alzheimer’s disease?
Braisted: The Legislature has made great strides over the past few years to do more for Alzheimer’s disease. For several years, we have seen consistent increases in funding for critical respite services, including the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative (ADI). In 2019, legislation passed that strengthened and empowered our State’s Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee, requiring them to submit an annual report and to update the Alzheimer’s plan every three years. In 2019, we also saw increased funding for the Alzheimer’s Association Brain Bus program. With the increase in funds, we were able to take our initiative statewide. The Brain Bus is a mobile and virtual outreach program that provides education, support services and care consultations throughout the state with a focus on rural and underserved communities. In 2020, we saw the passage of legislation that established a Dementia Director. We are one of only a few states to have this position. This position is a leadership position within the Department of Elder Affairs.
Q: What issues still need to be addressed to help those with Alzheimer’s in the state
Braisted: With the realities of this disease and our projected increase in cases, Florida needs to be a dementia-capable state. We are working on building that infrastructure. However, there is more that needs to be accomplished. This year, we are working on legislation (SB 1572/HB 1507) that will enhance dementia training in the state by requiring all long-term care providers have minimum dementia training standards. We also need to ensure that our health care providers are informed and educated on Alzheimer’s so they can ensure their patients are receiving annual cognitive screenings.
Nationally, only 47% of primary care physicians regularly screen for cognitive impairment. We are working on legislation (SB 806/HB 475) that would require the Department of Health to update their collateral for health care providers to include information on brain health and the warning signs of Alzheimer’s. We are always advocating for increases in funding for critically needed home and community-based services. These services help Alzheimer’s caregivers. Unfortunately, these programs have significant waitlists. We also are advocating for increases in Alzheimer’s research funding through the Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s Research Program.
Lobby Up
Lawmakers are considering a long list of bills this Session that would change how anesthesia is delivered to Florida patients and who can deliver it.
Three different types of health care providers are authorized to administer anesthesia in Florida: anesthesiologist assistants, certified registered nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists.
Each plays a different role in patient care, and each have different education and training backgrounds. Anesthesiologists are medical doctors, CRNAs have advanced nursing degrees, and anesthesiology assistants are graduates of a specialty training program.
Physician anesthesiologists and CRNAs have been engaged in a scope-of-practice battle for years. CRNAs have pushed bills that would allow them to practice without direct physician supervision, similar to the scope-of-practice expansion lawmakers delivered to advanced practice registered nurses in 2020.
CRNAs were cut out of that legislation, but legislation filed this year by Sen. Manny Diaz and Rep. Rob Rommel (SB 986/HB 437) would delete the direct supervision requirements for CRNAs to administer anesthesia, including in Florida hospitals.
While the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology supports the legislation, the Florida Society of Anesthesiologists is staunchly opposed.
FSA, however, has joined the Florida Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants in supporting a separate bill by Sen. Dennis Baxley (SB 1366) that would grant more autonomy to anesthesiology assistants — the bill would still require them to work under the direct supervision of anesthesiologists, but the physician would no longer have to be in the same operating room, just within the same facility and available if needed. CNRAs are opposed.
The three factions each have lobbying teams, though FANA’s is by far the largest.
It’s represented by FANA is represented by Heather Turnbull, Melissa Akeson, Jacqui Carmona, Erica Chanti, Christopher Finkbeiner and Zach Hubbard of Rubin Turnbull & Associates; Matt Bryan, Teye Carmichael, David Daniel, Thomas Griffin, Jeff Hartley and Lisa Hurley of Smith Brian & Myers; and Nick Iarossi, Maicel Green, Scott Ross and Chris Schoonover of Capital City Consulting.
FSA, meanwhile, is represented by Jon Johnson and Travis Blanton of Johnson & Blanton, and Brecht Heuchan of The Labrador Company represents FAAA.
Breakthrough Insights
The Next 24
— The Senate Appropriations Committee will take up its proposed $108.6 billion budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year when it meets at 9 a.m. in Room 412 of the Knott Building.
— The House Appropriations Committee will take up its proposed $105.3 billion budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year when it meets at 9 a.m. in Room 212 of the Knott Building.
— Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Sen. Ed Hooper and Florida Realtors President Christina Pappas will hold a news conference on a bill (SB 788) that would create a program to help first responders, law enforcement, educators, and health care workers purchase homes. It begins at 9 a.m. on the 4th Floor of the Capitol.
— The House will hold a floor session at 2:30 p.m. The agenda includes a bill (HB 7021) that would extend COVID-19 liability protections for health care facilities and providers.
Also, the following committees will meet.
— The House Ways and Means Committee meets at 9 a.m. in Room 404 of the House Office Building.
Full committee agendas, including bills to be considered, are available on the House and Senate websites.
