Legislative News

In Florida, a bill becomes a law during the 60-day Legislative Session, which takes place each year. A Senator or Representative files a bill proposing a new law or a change to an existing one. The bill is then assigned to several committees based on its subject matter, and it must go through all assigned committees in the exact order they are listed.

Each committee reviews, debates, and can amend the bill, and it must receive approval at every stop to continue moving forward. If it passes all of its committees, the bill is debated and voted on by the full chamber where it was filed (either the House or the Senate). If it passes there, it moves to the other chamber and repeats the same process — including going through all of its assigned committees in order and then a full chamber vote.

Both chambers must pass the exact same version of the bill, and they formally communicate approval back and forth through official “messages” between the House and Senate until they agree on identical language.

Once both chambers are in agreement, the bill is sent to the Governor, who can sign it into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature.

The entire process must be completed before the Legislature adjourns “sine die,” which is the final day of the 60-day session. When lawmakers gavel out sine die, session officially ends, and any bill that has not passed both chambers in identical form by that time dies and must be refiled the following year.

House Bill 251/Senate Bill 268 - Public Records/Emergency Physicians

Provides exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying & location information of current emergency department physicians & spouses & certain children of such emergency department physicians; provides for retroactive application; requires certain agencies that are custodians of exempt information to maintain exempt status of such information under certain circumstances; specifies procedures for requesting agency to maintain exempt status of such information until exemption no longer applies to individual; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity.

Read the House Bill: https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0251c1.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=251&Session=2026

Read the Senate Bill: https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_s0268c1.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=268&Session=2026

House - 1 of 3 Committees Passed

Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee - Passed 2/11/2026
State Affairs
Health & Human Services
House Floor

Senate - 1 of 3 Committees Passed

Health Policy - Passed 2/2/2026
Governmental Oversight and Accountability
Rules
Senate Floor

House Bill 237/Senate Bill 36 - Use of Professional Nursing Titles

Authorizing licensed nurses who hold a doctoral degree to use specified titles and abbreviations in a specified manner; prohibiting nurses who hold a doctoral degree from using a specified title in the clinical setting without clearly specifying their profession, etc.

Read the House Bill: https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0237c1.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=237&Session=2026

Read the Senate Bill: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/36/BillText/c2/PDF

House - PASSED

Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee - Passed 1/14/2026
Health & Human Services - Passed 1/27/2026
House Floor - Passed 2/24/26

Senate - 2 of 3 Committees Passed

Health Policy - Passed 2/2/2026
Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services - Passed 2/12/2026
Rules
Senate Floor

Legislative News

House Bill 251/Senate Bill 268 - Public Records/Emergency Physicians

House Bill 237/Senate Bill 36 - Use of Professional Nursing Titles

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