Weekly Legislative Update - March 29, 2021

“‘I want to be protected’: Nurses still worried about dangerous work conditions, COVID-19 mutations” via Isaac Morgan of the Florida Phoenix — COVID-19 devastated the nation last year and put a strain on health care systems across the country, particularly at hospitals where doctors and nurses worked around the clock to treat patients with a highly contagious virus. Marissa Lee, a registered nurse in Florida, recalls that time during the pandemic, when she and other colleagues faced dire conditions, staff shortages and lack of personal protective equipment. Lee works at Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee and is a member of the National Nurses United, a union representing registered nurses nationwide. NNU has praised the Biden administration’s national plan to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines and testing.

Baxley to Amend Bright Futures Bill, Drop Proposed Cuts to Scholarships Based on Majors

A proposal to cut Bright Futures scholarship awards for some students studying majors that may not obviously lead to high paying jobs is being dropped amid heavy criticism of the idea and a signal from the governor, who supports fully funding the program. The measure's sponsor, Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Lady Lake, on Monday filed a strike-all amendment to the bill (SB 86) to drop the controversial provision that sought to only reward students to choose to major in certain fields that seem more likely to lead to jobs. The amended version would continue to require the creation of the list, and require students to affirm they understand "the employment and wage prospects for his or her declared major," but wouldn't tie Bright Futures scholarship awards to majors. "My goal in filing Senate Bill 86 was to begin the discussion about both the cost and the value of the degrees and programs within our higher education system," Baxley said in a letter to senators explaining the reasoning for the amendment. "Based on your feedback, and with that goal in mind, I have filed an amendment that represents a concrete step forward in this discussion, while at the same time preserving the merit-based financial aid benefits our students earned in high school, regardless of which undergraduate path the student chooses." The letter was sent on Monday to the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee, where the bill is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday and where the amendment could be adopted. Baxley Letter on Proposed Amendment / SB 86 Strike-All Amendment / LobbyTools Higher Ed Backgrounder

More Than One-Third of Florida Residents Now Eligible for COVID Vaccine

The number of Floridians eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine expanded on Monday as the state allowed anybody age 50 and up to get the shot, and the county that is home to the state’s biggest theme parks set the bar even lower by allowing anyone age 40 and up to get an injection. With the loosening of the statewide qualifications, more than a third of Floridians were now eligible to get a vaccine solely based on age at all vaccination sites in the state. Associated Press

Sprowls Proposes to Extend Medicaid Coverage for New Moms to up to a Year After Birth

New mothers covered by Medicaid would get a full year of health care benefits under the program after delivering their baby instead of being cut off after two months under a proposal announced Tuesday by House Speaker Chris Sprowls. "We believe that providing the access to postnatal coverage for up to one year after the birth can significantly boost health outcomes for moms and their babies and we know that healthy moms are better positioned to raise healthy and thriving children," Sprowls said. The $240 million extension, expected to have bipartisan support – and matching a push by Democrats in Congress – will be included in a Medicaid Conforming Bill that is expected to be heard in the House Health Care Appropriation Subcommittee later this week. Most of the funding will come from federal dollars, but the state would be expected to commit about $92 million. Tampa Bay Times / Florida Politics / Cap News 

Budget Work Picks Up This Week

Budget week has arrived in the Florida Legislature amid a global pandemic, which is likely to create initial deep cuts but with the economic forecast improving by the end of the legislative session in May. The Senate will present its proposed budget in budget subcommittee meetings Wednesday, and the House later Wednesday will notice its budget subcommittees, and release a spending plan by Thursday. Politico Pro

“Tampa Bay nursing school loses accreditation; students lose credits, time and money ” Adam Walser of ABC Action News — A Tampa Bay nursing school with a record of complaints that lost accreditation and is on probation with the state because of licensing test failure rates continues to recruit students for the $20,000 program. “It’s ruined my life, pretty much. I am out all that money. All that time,” Elizabeth Ford said. Ford enrolled in the Medical Prep Institute of Tampa Bay, called MPI, in November 2019, after the school offered her a $5,000 scholarship to offset some of the tuition.

Business Groups Want Uniform Rules for Next Crisis

Lobbying groups for small businesses, restaurants, hotels and retailers expressed a need to senators Monday for statewide rules for the next health crisis, with a focus on mask mandates. Officials with the National Federation of Independent Business-Florida, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and the Florida Retail Federation told members of the Senate Select Committee on Pandemic Preparedness and Response that a wide range of city and county regulations has been among the biggest issues they have faced since the pandemic began slightly more than a year ago. News Service of Florida