SESSION WATCH
Became law SENATE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-123

No. CS/CS/SB 1030

Recovery Residences
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SPONSOR
Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; Gruters
FILED BY
Joe Gruters — District 22, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Recovery Residences; Requiring the Department of Children and Families to require only a level 2 background screening for certain individuals under certain circumstances; prohibiting the department from requiring certain existing licensed service providers to admit individuals for services during the probationary licensing period if certain requirements and conditions are met, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Exempts compliant providers from admitting patients under probationary licenses.

An existing, compliant licensed provider that adds a new level of care or opens a new same-level location no longer has to admit patients during the resulting probationary license, so long as its record stays clean.

The exemption applies only if the provider has no outstanding violations and the department has not acted against its existing license in the past year; it does not extend the license's own fixed 90-day, non-renewable term.

Separately, when 5 percent or more of a licensed entity's controlling ownership changes hands, the new owners' officers, directors, and managing members face only a level 2 background screening, not whatever fuller check would otherwise apply.

The law also narrows what counts as a regulated "transfer" of a license to exactly two listed events, dropping the old open-ended "includes, but is not limited to" language.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 No forced admissions for compliant expanding providers majors. 397.407(7)(b)

AIThe department cannot require an existing, compliant licensed provider to admit patients during the probationary licensing period tied to adding a new level of care or opening a new same-level-of-care location.

“The department may not require an existing licensed service provider that is seeking to add one or more additional levels of care” bill text, line 74 →
§ 2 Ownership-transfer screening capped at level 2 moderates. 397.407(5)

AIWhen 5 percent or more of a licensed entity's controlling ownership is transferred, the department may require only a level 2 background screening for the incoming officers, directors, and managing members, rather than a fuller check.

“the department must require only a level 2 background screening pursuant to s. 397.4073 for officers, directors, managing members” bill text, line 55 →
§ 3 "Transfer" narrowed to an exhaustive definition moderates. 397.407(6)(a)

AIThe definition of a regulated license "transfer" changes from an open-ended list to a closed one covering only a majority ownership transfer or a contractual handoff of licensed responsibilities.

“includes, but is not limited to, the transfer of a majority of the ownership interest in the licensed entity” bill text, line 49 →
TIMELINE
6/12/2026
Chapter No. 2026-123
6/11/2026
Approved by Governor
6/9/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
3/17/2026
Ordered enrolled
3/10/2026
CS passed; YEAS 106, NAYS 0
3/10/2026
Read 3rd time
3/10/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/10/2026
Read 2nd time
3/9/2026
1st Reading (Engrossed 1)
3/9/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/10/2026)
3/9/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/26/2026
In Messages
2/26/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 463
2/26/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 453
2/26/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 453
2/26/2026
Amendment(s) adopted (260270) -SJ 453
2/26/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 453
2/25/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/26/26
2/25/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/24/2026
Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 22 NAYS 0
2/19/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/24/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
2/18/2026
CS/CS by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services...
2/16/2026
Now in Rules
2/16/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/12/2026
CS/CS by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services;...
2/9/2026
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Health and Human...
1/29/2026
CS by Children, Families, and Elder Affairs read 1st time
1/28/2026
Now in Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services
1/28/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
1/27/2026
CS by Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; YEAS 5 NAYS 0
1/22/2026
On Committee agenda-- Children, Families, and Elder Affairs,...
1/13/2026
Introduced
1/7/2026
Referred to Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; Appropriations...
12/30/2025
Filed
28 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 397.407
+168 / −7
STAFF ANALYSES
2 MORE →