Florida Senate - 2026                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1030
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì707950.Î707950                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: RS            .                                
                  01/28/2026           .                                
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       The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs (Rouson)
       recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsections (6), (7), and (8) of section
    6  397.407, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
    7         397.407 Licensure process; fees.—
    8         (6) The department may issue probationary, regular, and
    9  interim licenses. The department may issue one license for all
   10  service components operated by a service provider and defined
   11  pursuant to s. 397.311(27). The license is valid only for the
   12  specific service components listed for each specific location
   13  identified on the license. The licensed service provider must
   14  shall apply for the addition of any service components and
   15  obtain approval before initiating additional services. The
   16  licensed service provider must notify the department and provide
   17  any required documentation at least 30 days before the
   18  relocation of any of its service sites. Provision of service
   19  components or delivery of services at a location not identified
   20  on the license may be considered an unlicensed operation that
   21  authorizes the department to seek an injunction against
   22  operation as provided in s. 397.401, in addition to other
   23  sanctions authorized by s. 397.415. Probationary and regular
   24  licenses may be issued only after all required information has
   25  been submitted. A license may not be transferred. As used in
   26  this subsection, the term “transfer” means:
   27         (a) An event in which the licensee sells or otherwise
   28  transfers its ownership to a different individual or entity as
   29  evidenced by a change in federal employer identification number
   30  or taxpayer identification number; or
   31         (b) An event in which 51 percent or more of the ownership,
   32  shares, membership, or controlling interest of a licensee is in
   33  any manner transferred or otherwise assigned includes, but is
   34  not limited to, the transfer of a majority of the ownership
   35  interest in the licensed entity or transfer of responsibilities
   36  under the license to another entity by contractual arrangement.
   37         (7) Upon receipt of a complete application, payment of
   38  applicable fees, and a demonstration of substantial compliance
   39  with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, the
   40  department may issue a probationary license to a new service
   41  provider applicant with services that are not yet fully
   42  operational. The department may not issue a probationary license
   43  when doing so would place the health, safety, or welfare of
   44  individuals at risk. A probationary license expires 90 days
   45  after issuance and may not be reissued. During the probationary
   46  period the department shall monitor the delivery of services.
   47  Notwithstanding s. 120.60(5), the department may order a
   48  probationary licensee to cease and desist operations at any time
   49  it is found to be substantially out of compliance with licensure
   50  standards. This cease-and-desist order is exempt from the
   51  requirements of s. 120.60(6).
   52         (8)(a) A regular license may be issued to:
   53         1.(a) A new applicant at the end of the probationary
   54  period.
   55         2.(b) A licensed applicant that holds a regular license and
   56  is seeking renewal.
   57         3.(c) An applicant for a service component operating under
   58  an interim license upon successful satisfaction of the
   59  requirements for a regular license.
   60         (b) In order to be issued a regular license, the applicant
   61  must be in compliance with statutory and regulatory
   62  requirements. An application for renewal of a regular license
   63  must be submitted to the department at least 60 days before the
   64  license expires. The department may deny a renewal application
   65  submitted fewer than 30 days before the license expires.
   66         (c) The department shall issue a regular license within 30
   67  calendar days after receipt of a complete application from an
   68  existing licensed service provider that is in compliance with
   69  all renewal requirements and that is seeking to add licensed
   70  services or one or more additional levels of care at an existing
   71  licensed location or at one or more new locations when the
   72  application is from a provider with the same federal tax
   73  identification number as the existing provider. No additional
   74  requirements may be imposed upon an existing service provider
   75  seeking to add new levels of care or new locations.
   76         Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
   77  397.415, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   78         397.415 Denial, suspension, and revocation; other
   79  remedies.—
   80         (1) If the department determines that an applicant or
   81  licensed service provider or licensed service component thereof
   82  is not in compliance with all statutory and regulatory
   83  requirements, the department may deny, suspend, revoke, or
   84  impose reasonable restrictions or penalties on the license or
   85  any portion of the license. In such case:
   86         (d) The department may deny, suspend, or revoke the license
   87  of a service provider or may suspend or revoke the license as to
   88  the operation of any service component or location identified on
   89  the license for:
   90         1. False representation of a material fact in the license
   91  application or omission of any material fact from the
   92  application.
   93         2. An intentional or negligent act materially affecting the
   94  health or safety of an individual receiving services from the
   95  provider.
   96         3. A violation of this chapter or applicable rules.
   97         4. A demonstrated pattern of deficient performance.
   98         5. Failure to immediately remove service provider personnel
   99  subject to background screening pursuant to s. 397.4073 who no
  100  longer meet the standards of s. 397.4073 are arrested or found
  101  guilty of, regardless of adjudication, or have entered a plea of
  102  nolo contendere or guilty to any offense prohibited under the
  103  screening standard and notify the department within 2 days after
  104  such removal, excluding weekends and holidays.
  105         Section 3. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (8) of
  106  section 397.487, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  107         397.487 Voluntary certification of recovery residences.—
  108         (8) Onsite followup monitoring of a certified recovery
  109  residence may be conducted by the credentialing entity to
  110  determine continuing compliance with certification requirements.
  111  The credentialing entity shall inspect each certified recovery
  112  residence at least annually to ensure compliance.
  113         (a) A credentialing entity may suspend or revoke a
  114  certification if the recovery residence is not in compliance
  115  with any provision of this section or has failed to remedy any
  116  deficiency identified by the credentialing entity within the
  117  time period specified. For purposes of this paragraph, the
  118  credentialing entity may not request or obtain clinical or
  119  medical records of a resident when determining whether to
  120  suspend or revoke a certificate, consistent with the privacy
  121  protections afforded pursuant to s. 397.501(7) and 42 C.F.R.
  122  part 2.
  123         (d) If any owner, director, or chief financial officer of a
  124  certified recovery residence no longer meets the standards of s.
  125  397.4073 is arrested and awaiting disposition for or found
  126  guilty of, or enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to,
  127  regardless of whether adjudication is withheld, any offense
  128  listed in s. 435.04(2) while acting in that capacity, the
  129  certified recovery residence must immediately remove the person
  130  from that position and notify the credentialing entity within 3
  131  business days after such removal. The credentialing entity must
  132  revoke the certificate of compliance of a certified recovery
  133  residence that fails to meet these requirements.
  134         Section 4. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  135  made by this act to section 397.415, Florida Statutes, in a
  136  reference thereto, subsection (2) of section 397.4104, Florida
  137  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  138         397.4104 Record of recovery residences used by service
  139  providers.—
  140         (2) Beginning July 1, 2022, a licensed service provider
  141  that violates this section is subject to an administrative fine
  142  of $1,000 per occurrence. The department may suspend or revoke a
  143  service provider’s license pursuant to s. 397.415 for repeat
  144  violations of this section.
  145         Section 5. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  146  made by this act to section 397.415, Florida Statutes, in a
  147  reference thereto, subsection (7) of section 397.4873, Florida
  148  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  149         397.4873 Referrals to or from recovery residences;
  150  prohibitions; penalties.—
  151         (7) A licensed service provider that violates this section
  152  is subject to an administrative fine of $1,000 per occurrence.
  153  If such fine is imposed by final order of the department and is
  154  not subject to further appeal, the service provider shall pay
  155  the fine plus interest at the rate specified in s. 55.03 for
  156  each day beyond the date set by the department for payment of
  157  the fine. If the service provider does not pay the fine plus any
  158  applicable interest within 60 days after the date set by the
  159  department, the department shall immediately suspend the service
  160  provider’s license. Repeat violations of this section may
  161  subject a provider to license suspension or revocation pursuant
  162  to s. 397.415. The department shall establish a mechanism no
  163  later than January 1, 2024, for the imposition and collection of
  164  fines for violations under this section.
  165         Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
  166  
  167  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  168  And the title is amended as follows:
  169         Delete everything before the enacting clause
  170  and insert:
  171                        A bill to be entitled                      
  172         An act relating to recovery residences; amending s.
  173         397.407, F.S.; authorizing the transfer of
  174         probationary and regular licenses; revising the
  175         definition of the term “transfer”; requiring the
  176         Department of Children and Families to issue a regular
  177         license after the department receives a complete
  178         application from certain existing licensed service
  179         providers that are seeking to add licensed services or
  180         one or more additional levels of care at an existing
  181         licensed location or at one or more new locations
  182         within a specified timeframe, under certain
  183         circumstances; prohibiting the imposition of
  184         additional requirements upon such service providers;
  185         amending s. 397.415, F.S.; revising the criteria that
  186         the department may use to deny, suspend, or revoke the
  187         license of a service provider or suspend or revoke
  188         such license as to the operation of certain service
  189         components or locations; amending s. 397.487, F.S.;
  190         prohibiting a credentialing entity from requesting or
  191         obtaining certain records when determining whether to
  192         suspend or revoke a licensed service provider’s
  193         certificate to serve as a recovery residence; revising
  194         the circumstances in which a certified recovery
  195         residence must immediately remove any owner, director,
  196         or chief financial officer of the certified recovery
  197         residence and notify the credentialing entity of such
  198         removal within a specified timeframe; reenacting ss.
  199         397.4104(2) and 397.4873(7), F.S., relating to records
  200         of recovery residences used by service providers and
  201         penalties for licensed recovery residences,
  202         respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s.
  203         397.415, F.S., in references thereto; providing an
  204         effective date.