Florida Senate - 2026                             CS for SB 1030
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; and
       Senators Gruters and Rouson
       
       
       
       
       586-02244-26                                          20261030c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to substance abuse services; amending
    3         s. 397.407, F.S.; revising the definition of the term
    4         “transfer”; requiring the Department of Children and
    5         Families to issue a regular license to substance abuse
    6         service providers after the department receives a
    7         complete application from certain existing licensed
    8         service providers that are seeking to add licensed
    9         services or one or more additional levels of care at
   10         an existing licensed location or at one or more new
   11         locations within a specified timeframe, if certain
   12         requirements are met; prohibiting the imposition of
   13         additional requirements upon such service providers;
   14         amending s. 397.487, F.S.; prohibiting a credentialing
   15         entity from requesting or obtaining certain records
   16         when determining whether to suspend or revoke a
   17         licensed service provider’s certificate to serve as a
   18         recovery residence; providing an effective date.
   19          
   20  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   21  
   22         Section 1. Subsections (6), (7), and (8) of section
   23  397.407, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   24         397.407 Licensure process; fees.—
   25         (6) The department may issue probationary, regular, and
   26  interim licenses. The department may issue one license for all
   27  service components operated by a service provider and defined
   28  pursuant to s. 397.311(27). The license is valid only for the
   29  specific service components listed for each specific location
   30  identified on the license. The licensed service provider must
   31  shall apply for the addition of any service components and
   32  obtain approval before initiating additional services. The
   33  licensed service provider must notify the department and provide
   34  any required documentation at least 30 days before the
   35  relocation of any of its service sites. Provision of service
   36  components or delivery of services at a location not identified
   37  on the license may be considered an unlicensed operation that
   38  authorizes the department to seek an injunction against
   39  operation as provided in s. 397.401, in addition to other
   40  sanctions authorized by s. 397.415. Probationary and regular
   41  licenses may be issued only after all required information has
   42  been submitted. A license may not be transferred. As used in
   43  this subsection, the term “transfer” means:
   44         (a)An event in which the licensee sells or otherwise
   45  transfers its ownership to a different individual or entity as
   46  evidenced by a change in federal employer identification number
   47  or taxpayer identification number; or
   48         (b)An event in which 51 percent or more of the ownership,
   49  shares, membership, or controlling interest of a licensee is in
   50  any manner transferred or otherwise assigned includes, but is
   51  not limited to, the transfer of a majority of the ownership
   52  interest in the licensed entity or transfer of responsibilities
   53  under the license to another entity by contractual arrangement.
   54         (7) Upon receipt of a complete application, payment of
   55  applicable fees, and a demonstration of substantial compliance
   56  with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, the
   57  department may issue a probationary license to a new service
   58  provider applicant with services that are not yet fully
   59  operational. The department may not issue a probationary license
   60  when doing so would place the health, safety, or welfare of
   61  individuals at risk. A probationary license expires 90 days
   62  after issuance and may not be reissued. During the probationary
   63  period the department shall monitor the delivery of services.
   64  Notwithstanding s. 120.60(5), the department may order a
   65  probationary licensee to cease and desist operations at any time
   66  it is found to be substantially out of compliance with licensure
   67  standards. This cease-and-desist order is exempt from the
   68  requirements of s. 120.60(6).
   69         (8)(a) A regular license may be issued to:
   70         1.(a) A new applicant at the end of the probationary
   71  period.
   72         2.(b) A licensed applicant that holds a regular license and
   73  is seeking renewal.
   74         3.(c) An applicant for a service component operating under
   75  an interim license upon successful satisfaction of the
   76  requirements for a regular license.
   77         (b) In order to be issued a regular license, the applicant
   78  must be in compliance with statutory and regulatory
   79  requirements. An application for renewal of a regular license
   80  must be submitted to the department at least 60 days before the
   81  license expires. The department may deny a renewal application
   82  submitted fewer than 30 days before the license expires.
   83         (c)The department must issue a regular license within 30
   84  calendar days after receipt of a complete application from an
   85  existing licensed service provider that is in compliance with
   86  all renewal requirements and that is seeking to add licensed
   87  services or one or more additional levels of care at an existing
   88  licensed location or at one or more new locations when the
   89  application is from a provider with the same federal tax
   90  identification number as the existing provider. No other
   91  additional requirements may be imposed upon an existing service
   92  provider seeking to add new levels of care or new locations.
   93         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section
   94  397.487, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   95         397.487 Voluntary certification of recovery residences.—
   96         (8) Onsite followup monitoring of a certified recovery
   97  residence may be conducted by the credentialing entity to
   98  determine continuing compliance with certification requirements.
   99  The credentialing entity shall inspect each certified recovery
  100  residence at least annually to ensure compliance.
  101         (a) A credentialing entity may suspend or revoke a
  102  certification if the recovery residence is not in compliance
  103  with any provision of this section or has failed to remedy any
  104  deficiency identified by the credentialing entity within the
  105  time period specified. For purposes of this paragraph, the
  106  credentialing entity may not request or obtain clinical or
  107  medical records of a resident when determining whether to
  108  suspend or revoke a certificate, consistent with the privacy
  109  protections afforded pursuant to s. 397.501(7) and 42 C.F.R.
  110  part 2.
  111         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.