One new law creates a statewide Parkinson’s disease registry to track cases, improve care and support research.<\/p>\n
FLORIDA, USA \u2014 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed seven bills in the latest round of new legislation set to become laws in the Sunshine State.<\/p>\n
Here’s a look at what each piece of legislation does, and when the laws will go into effect.<\/p>\n
SB 844<\/a>: Sickle Cell Disease Care Management and Treatment Continuing Education <\/p>\n This law strengthens training requirements for prescribers, with new emphasis on properly treating pain in sickle cell disease patients.<\/p>\n It requires every person registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and authorized to prescribe controlled substances to complete a two-hour continuing education course on controlled substance prescribing as part of license renewal. It also expands course content to include pain management for patients with sickle cell disease.<\/p>\n The law is set to take effect July 1, 2026. Click here<\/a> to read it in its entirety.<\/p>\n This law gives Florida farmers new protections by requiring manufacturers to fix, replace or refund defective equipment if the manufacturer or its authorized dealer is unable to or otherwise fails to conform the farm equipment to any applicable express written warranty after a reasonable number of attempts.<\/p>\n The law sets a standard of three\u00a0or more failed repair attempts for the same issue qualifying as “reasonable.”<\/p>\n The law is set to take effect July 1, 2026. Click here<\/a> to read it in its entirety.<\/p>\n HB 7011<\/a>: OGSR\/Aquaculture Records <\/p>\n This law keeps certain aquaculture records held by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confidential, protecting industry data from public release.<\/p>\n It prevents shellfish production and processing data, aquaculture production records and receipts, and audit records and supporting documents tied to submerged lands from being automatically released under the Open Government Sunset Review Act.<\/p>\n The law took effect when DeSantis signed it Friday. Click here<\/a> to read it in its entirety.<\/p>\n HB 1445<\/a>: Public Record\/Parkinson’s Disease Registry <\/p>\n This law creates a public records exemption for patient-identifying information in Florida\u2019s Parkinson’s disease registry.<\/p>\n Any information in the registry that could identify a patient is confidential and exempt from public records laws.<\/p>\n Limited disclosure is allowed only to the following:<\/p>\n The Parkinson’s Disease Research BoardContracted private entities working on the registry, but only if they:Submit a research planMaintain the confidentiality of the recordsDestroy confidential records after research is completeDo not contact patients <\/p>\n The law is set to take effect July 1, 2026. Click here<\/a> to read it in its entirety.<\/p>\n HB 1443<\/a>: Parkinson’s Disease Registry <\/p>\n This law creates a statewide Parkinson’s disease registry to track cases, improve care and support research.<\/p>\n The University of South Florida’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center is tasked with creating and maintaining the registry, pending funding.<\/p>\n Starting Jan. 1, 2027, physicians and advanced practice registered nurses must report to the registry information on patients diagnosed or treated for Parkinson’s disease or Atypical parkinsonism.<\/p>\n By Jan. 1, 2028, the law requires the USF Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center to publish a public website that must include, at a minimum, “downloadable annual reports on the incidence and prevalence of Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonism, information on the consortium, and other information as determined by the board.”<\/p>\n The law further requires annual reports, including case numbers and demographic data (age, gender, race), be sent to the governor, president of the state Senate, and speaker of the state House of Representatives.<\/p>\n The law is set to take effect July 1, 2026. Click here<\/a> to read it in its entirety.<\/p>\n HB 569<\/a>: Forensic Client Services <\/p>\n This law updates how Florida handles criminal defendants with intellectual disabilities or autism in the criminal justice system.<\/p>\n It expands the definition of “forensic client” to include defendants who are committed to involuntary residential services and placed in facilities operated by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, clarifies the procedures for defendants found incompetent to stand trial, and provides a plan for their continued care and and supervision.<\/p>\n A court must review a defendant’s placement at least annually, and a placement cannot exceed the maximum sentence for the crime in which the defendant was charged.<\/p>\n The law is set to take effect July 1, 2026. Click here<\/a> to read it in its entirety.<\/p>\n