2026 Legislative Session
The 2026 Legislative Session (January 13-March 13) has kicked off and is wasting no time getting to work. FHPCA is working diligently to mitigate a portion of House Bill 693 which eliminates Certificate of Need in Hospice and skilled nursing facilities, there is not a Senate version of this bill as of January 13. We are supporting Patient Directed Medical Orders (like POLST/MOLST), have several other issues we are engaged on, and dozens of issues we are closely monitoring.
During the Joint Opening Session on Tuesday, Governor DeSantis delivered his final (8th) State of the State address to the House and Senate, and as would be expected, he recapped his most important accomplishments as Governor. He called upon the Legislature to send meaningful property tax reform legislation to his desk – promising to sign it. Property tax reform is expected to consume much of the 2026 Session bandwidth, with rumblings of a Special Session in April to conduct a mid-decade Congressional redistricting plan.
For context, this is a reminder that Republicans hold super-majorities in the Florida House and Senate and hold every elected statewide office. That is useful information to know as you observe the process.
Stay tuned through session as we represent the hospice and palliative care sectors of health care.
If you are interested in watching the goings-on in Tallahassee, you may tune into the Florida Channel to watch the House and Senate Chambers live, committees at work, and interviews and press conferences as they occur. You will find the calendar and schedule at the links, below, and can find many of those committee meetings and interviews on the Florida Channel.
