Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Committee Roundup Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Health Policy Committee reports favorably on wide range of health bills, confirms ACA secretary
Summary
The Committee on Health Policy reported favorably on a series of health bills addressing patient records access, managed-care network access, home health, pediatric readiness, medically fragile children, and other measures; it also recommended confirmation of Siobhan Harris as secretary of the Agency for Healthcare Administration.
The Senate Health Policy Committee voted to advance a broad package of health-related measures and a cabinet-level confirmation during a lengthy session that combined bill explanations, brief debate and several public witnesses.
Among the actions the committee took: it reported favorably on legislation standardizing time frames for patient access to health records; advanced bills to authorize schools to keep undesignated glucagon for diabetic emergencies; allowed physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses to certify death under physician protocol in hospice settings; revised home health agency administrator and staffing rules; created a Parkinson’s disease research consortium at the University of South Florida; required managed-care plans to ensure network access during holidays and off hours; and moved administrative responsibility for several children’s medical services managed-care functions to the Agency for Healthcare Administration while directing a redesign plan for a Medicaid waiver for medically fragile children.
The committee also recommended confirmation of Siobhan Harris as secretary of the Agency for Healthcare Administration. Harris, who previously led the Department of Children and Families, was sworn in as a witness and described priorities including managed-care transparency, financial management, and quality measures for Medicaid. Several senators praised Harris’s record and the committee voted to recommend her confirmation.
Votes at a glance (committee action): - Senate Bill 1606 — Patient access to medical records (sponsor: Senator Grahl): reported favorably as a committee substitute (amended). The committee adopted amendments clarifying portal requirements and removed a provision affecting nursing-home records; effective date revised to Jan. 1, 2026. - Confirmation — Siobhan Harris, Agency for Healthcare Administration, Secretary: recommendation to confirm (committee vote recorded favorably). - Senate Bill 28 — Relief claim for Darlene Andrewville and minor JR (South Broward Hospital District): reported favorably; committee adopted amendment allocating $3.1 million to the claimant and $3.0 million to an irrevocable trust for the minor. - CS for Senate Bill 772 — Diabetes management in schools: reported favorably; authorizes districts/charters to maintain undesignated glucagon for emergency hypoglycemia. - Senate Bill 998 — Certificates of death in hospice/palliative care: reported favorably as amended; narrows scope to who may complete death certificates. - Senate Bill 1412 — Home health services modernization: reported favorably; removes contiguity requirement for home-health administrators and allows contractors for admissions/discharges; expands award criteria. - Senate Bill 1800 — Parkinson’s disease research consortium at USF and Parkinson’s Disease Research Board: reported favorably (strike-all amendment adopted). - Senate Bill 306 — Managed-care plan network access standards: reported favorably as a committee substitute (amendment retained requirements for holiday/off-hours access). - Senate Bill 1768 — Stem-cell therapy scope and provider chapters (amended to physicians under ch. 458/459): reported favorably as amended. - Senate Bill 22 — Claims relief for Eric Miles (South Broward Hospital District): reported favorably. - Senate Bill 1602 — Pediatric readiness standards for emergency departments: reported favorably as a committee substitute; directs assessment and rulemaking for pediatric ED standards. - Senate Bill 1156 — Home health-aide program for medically fragile children (and related waiver redesign): reported favorably as a committee substitute; added reporting, training validation and required ACA to develop a comprehensive redesign plan for the waiver. - Senate Bill 1490 — Transfer and program changes for the Children’s Medical Services program: reported favorably as a committee substitute; moves managed-care plan administration to ACA and requires a waiver redesign plan. - Senate Bill 1182 — Medicaid coverage for continuous glucose monitors: reported favorably. - Senate Bill 1270 — Health omnibus (see separate article): reported favorably as committee substitute (amended).
Most measures passed with modest debate; sponsors and industry groups frequently waved appearance cards in support and asked for technical changes. Several bills included adopted amendments that narrowed scope or aligned language with House versions.
Why it matters: the committee’s actions shape the legal framework for Medicaid administration, home-health operations, pediatric emergency care and access to services for medically fragile children — issues that affect hospitals, managed-care plans, providers and thousands of Medicaid recipients.
What to watch next: bills reported favorably will be scheduled for floor consideration. Sponsors indicated further interchamber negotiations and technical drafting on selected items (notably managed-care oversight and the omnibus package). The confirmation recommendation for the ACA secretary moves to the full Senate for a separate vote.
Ending: The committee adjourned after completing the advertised agenda and setting time-certain procedural deadlines for some measures; senators asked staff to continue technical work on remaining drafting questions.
