Senate committee approves bill to let nonprofit farm groups offer health coverage exempt from insurance code

Senators on the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee voted to approve Senate Bill 480, which allows a narrowly defined nonprofit agricultural organization to offer health coverage to its members and specifies that that coverage is not insurance under the Florida Insurance Code.

The measure, introduced and explained by Senator DeSigli, targets members of a longstanding nonprofit tied to Florida agriculture and aims to expand affordable coverage options for farmers and ranchers in rural areas where access to care is limited. An amendment (barcode 205,028) adopted in committee moved the program into the appropriate statutory section and aligned its provisions with the state’s religious-institution exemption to add transparency and regulatory guidelines.

Supporters said the bill addresses affordability and access gaps for farm families. Senator DeSigli described the measure as “so specific to a certain group” and said the nonprofit began in 1949 and is “super narrow” in scope. Tripp Hunter of the Farm Bureau and Daniel Martinez from Americans for Prosperity were recorded as waiving in support. Several senators expressed support, describing similar programs in other states that they said had worked for specific groups.

Public health groups raised concerns in committee. Susan Harbin of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network testified in opposition, saying the bill does not guarantee coverage for people with preexisting conditions and that consumers could be dropped or left with large bills if plans do not include standard ACA protections. Harbin said disclosures and application disclaimers are helpful but warned that people who qualify for the Farm Bureau plan could instead obtain Marketplace plans that include Affordable Care Act protections for preexisting conditions, preventive care and annual screens. The American Heart Association’s representative was marked as waiving in opposition.

The amendment sponsor described the change as ensuring the new program “lines up with the religious institution section of Florida statute” and establishing regulatory guidelines and transparency. The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote.

On the roll call for the bill as amended, senators recorded unanimous approval in committee: Senator Boyd (yes); Senator Burton (yes); Senator Hooper (yes); Senator Martin (yes); Senator Osgood (yes); Senator Passadomo (yes); Senator Pizzo (yes); Senator Trunell (yes); Vice Chair Sharif (yes); Sharon Golia (yes). The committee reported SB 480 favorably as amended.

The debate and public testimony focused on the bill’s narrow membership scope, the disclosure language and whether the plan’s regulatory exemption could leave members without ACA-level protections in the event of a serious diagnosis. Supporters said participation would be voluntary and enrollment materials would disclose covered benefits; opponents said that disclosure does not substitute for statutory consumer protections.

The committee approved the bill as amended and moved it forward. The bill text and amendment cite alignment with an existing statutory exemption for religious institutions; committee testimony did not cite a specific Florida Statute number for the farm-bureau provision.

Votes at a glance: SB 480 — approved as amended in committee, roll call recorded and reported favorably.

Looking ahead, sponsors and interested groups indicated they would continue discussions about benefit disclosures, preexisting-condition protections and how the program should be regulated if enacted into law.