Florida Senate - 2026                                    SB 1122
       
       
        
       By Senator Gruters
       
       
       
       
       
       22-00662A-26                                          20261122__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to activities of special districts;
    3         providing legislative findings; amending s. 189.081,
    4         F.S.; authorizing certain special districts meeting
    5         particular criteria to jointly enter into, participate
    6         in, establish, and control specified joint
    7         relationships or collaborations anywhere within the
    8         boundaries of either or all such special districts;
    9         establishing state action immunity; authorizing such
   10         districts to exercise such powers regardless of
   11         certain consequences; providing construction;
   12         providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. The Legislature finds and declares that the
   17  provision of quality and cost-efficient medical care is a public
   18  necessity and that this act serves a public purpose. The
   19  Legislature further finds and declares that collaborations of
   20  special districts that operate as hospital districts under this
   21  act benefit the residents of this state by improving access to
   22  health care services, strengthening the integration of health
   23  care service providers, and promoting the continuity of care
   24  provided to the residents of the state, and that such
   25  relationships and collaborations are vitally important to and
   26  necessary for the preservation of the public health and welfare
   27  of such districts, the inhabitants thereof, and the residents of
   28  this state.
   29         Section 2. Subsection (7) is added to section 189.081,
   30  Florida Statutes, to read:
   31         189.081 Activities of special districts; local government
   32  comprehensive planning.—
   33         (7)(a) Two or more special districts that operate as
   34  hospital districts may jointly enter into, participate in,
   35  establish, and control any venture, partnership, corporation,
   36  business entity, organization, joint operating network, service
   37  line, facility, or any other joint relationship or
   38  collaboration, public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit,
   39  anywhere within the boundaries of either or all such special
   40  districts.
   41         (b) Parties that jointly enter into or participate in joint
   42  relationships or collaborations with special districts pursuant
   43  to paragraph (a) have state action immunity under the laws of
   44  this state and the State Constitution and may exercise the
   45  powers granted in paragraph (a), regardless of the purposes or
   46  effect of such relationships or collaborations, or that the
   47  exercise thereof may otherwise be deemed or considered to be in
   48  violation of state or federal antitrust laws.
   49         (c) This subsection shall supersede and control over any
   50  general or special law that is inconsistent or in conflict with
   51  this subsection.
   52         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.