Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1154
By Senator Bean
4-01038B-21 20211154__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Hormonal Long-acting Reversible
3 Contraception Program; creating s. 381.00515, F.S.;
4 establishing the Hormonal Long-acting Reversible
5 Contraception (HLARC) Program within the Department of
6 Health for specified purposes; defining terms;
7 requiring the department to contract with family
8 planning providers to implement the program and
9 provide HLARC services throughout the state; providing
10 requirements for such contracts; providing for an
11 annual appropriation; providing that such
12 appropriations do not supplant or reduce certain other
13 appropriations; requiring the department to apply for
14 grants for additional funding; requiring the
15 department to submit an annual report to the Governor
16 and the Legislature by a specified date; requiring the
17 department to publish the report on its website;
18 providing requirements for such reports; authorizing
19 the department to adopt rules; providing a legislative
20 finding; providing an effective date.
21
22 WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that abortions end unborn
23 life and, especially among young women, carry health risks for
24 the mother, and
25 WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that a variety of
26 methods and options to discourage and prevent abortions should
27 be developed and supported, and
28 WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that programs that provide
29 hormonal long-acting reversible contraception (HLARC) methods
30 contribute to declines in the number of abortions, and
31 WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that HLARC methods
32 improve health care outcomes and wellness for women and families
33 by enabling women to better plan pregnancies, and
34 WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that including HLARC as an
35 option for women is an important step in preventing abortions
36 and reducing health risks for all women, NOW, THEREFORE,
37
38 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
39
40 Section 1. Section 381.00515, Florida Statutes, is created
41 to read:
42 381.00515 Hormonal Long-acting Reversible Contraception
43 Program.—The Hormonal Long-acting Reversible Contraception
44 (HLARC) Program is established within the Department of Health
45 to improve the provision of HLARC services to women statewide
46 and reduce the number of abortions.
47 (1) As used in this section, the term:
48 (a) “Department” means the Department of Health.
49 (b) “HLARC program” means the Hormonal Long-Acting
50 Reversible Contraception Program.
51 (2) The department shall contract with eligible family
52 planning providers to implement the HLARC program throughout the
53 state. A contract to provide HLARC services must provide for all
54 of the following:
55 (a) The provision of hormonal intrauterine devices and
56 implants to participants.
57 (b) Training for providers and their staff regarding the
58 provision of HLARC devices, counseling strategies, and the
59 management of side effects.
60 (c) Technical assistance regarding issues such as coding,
61 billing, pharmacy rules, and clinic management associated with
62 the increased use of HLARC devices.
63 (d) General support to expand the capacity of family
64 planning providers in response to increased demand for HLARC
65 services.
66 (e) Marketing and outreach regarding the availability of
67 HLARC services among other currently available contraceptive
68 services.
69 (f) Other services the department considers necessary to
70 ensure the health and safety of participants who receive HLARC
71 devices.
72 (3) The Legislature shall annually appropriate funds from
73 the General Revenue Fund to the department to operate the HLARC
74 program. Funds appropriated pursuant to this subsection may not
75 supplant or reduce any other appropriation of state funds to
76 family planning providers or to the department for family
77 planning services.
78 (4) The department shall seek grants from federal agencies
79 and other sources to supplement state funds provided for the
80 HLARC program.
81 (5) By January 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the
82 department shall submit a report to the Governor, the President
83 of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
84 on the effectiveness of the HLARC program. The department shall
85 publish the report on its website. The report must include, but
86 need not be limited to, all of the following for the previous
87 calendar year:
88 (a) An assessment of the operation of the program,
89 including any progress made in reducing the number of abortions,
90 especially among teenagers.
91 (b) An assessment of the effectiveness of the program in
92 increasing the availability of HLARC services.
93 (c) The number and location of family planning providers
94 that participated in the program.
95 (d) The number of clients served by participating family
96 planning providers.
97 (e) The number of times HLARC services were provided by
98 participating family providers.
99 (f) The average cost per client served.
100 (g) The demographic characteristics of clients served.
101 (h) The sources and amounts of funding used for the
102 program.
103 (i) A description of federal and other grants the
104 department applied for in order to provide HLARC services,
105 including the outcomes of the grant applications.
106 (j) An analysis of the return on investment for the
107 provision of HLARC services with regard to tax dollars saved in
108 the provision of health and social services.
109 (k) A description and analysis of marketing and outreach
110 activities conducted to promote the availability of HLARC
111 services.
112 (l) Recommendations for improving the program.
113 (6) The department may adopt rules to implement this
114 section.
115 Section 2. The Legislature finds that this act is necessary
116 to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.
117 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.