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2005 Legislative Session Review

The Florida Legislature concluded its 2005 General Session on Friday, May 6, 2005. A total of 2,475 bills were introduced, 2,067 of which were general legislative bills. Only 749 bills passed at least one chamber (30.3% of the total bills introduced) and 394 bills passed both chambers (15.9% of the total bills introduced) and either have been or will be considered by Governor Bush for enactment.

The Florida College of Emergency Physicians specifically targeted several areas of legislative efforts in 2005, primarily:

  Medicaid Reform,

  Assignment of Benefits,

  Implementation of Constitutional Amendments 7 & 8,

  Mandatory HIV Testing for Pregnant Women,

  Off-Site Emergency Departments,

  Traffic Violations and Trauma Center Funding,

  High Deductible Insurance Study Group and

  Other Bills of Interest.

Off-Site Emergency Departments

During the 2004 Session, legislation passed prohibiting AHCA from further licensing of any off-site emergency departments and directed AHCA to conduct a study on whether off-site emergency departments were in the public interest.

The AHCA study was completed in December of 2004 and presented to the Legislature in January of 2005. A link to the study can be found at:

http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/freestanding/
contents.shtml

Senate Bill 1868 passed at the end of the Session. Language in the bill extends the moratorium to license additional emergency departments located off the premises of a licensed hospital until July 1, 2006.