SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 1047

Activities of Special Districts
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SPONSOR
Cassel
FILED BY
Hillary Cassel — District 101, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
upon becoming a law
DIED IN
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee

Filed under Local Government.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Activities of Special Districts; Authorizes certain special districts meeting particular criteria to jointly enter into, participate in, establish, or control specified joint relationships or collaborations anywhere in boundaries of either or all such special districts; establishes state action immunity; authorizes such districts to exercise such powers regardless of certain consequences.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Grants antitrust immunity to hospital districts' private-sector joint ventures.

Two or more special districts that operate as hospital districts may now jointly form any kind of venture together -- including a private, for-profit corporation -- anywhere within their combined boundaries.

Any party that joins one of these ventures, including a private company, gains state action immunity under Florida law and the Florida Constitution for that collaboration.

That immunity holds even if the venture's purpose or effect would otherwise violate state or federal antitrust law, so it cannot be challenged as anticompetitive on that basis.

This new authority overrides any other Florida law, general or special, that conflicts with it, including a district's own governing charter.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Lets hospital districts form joint ventures, including private for-profit ones majors. 189.081

AITwo or more special districts operating as hospital districts may jointly form or join any kind of business entity together -- a venture, corporation, network, or facility that can be private and for-profit -- anywhere inside their combined boundaries.

“or any other joint relationship or collaboration, public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit” bill text, line 37 →
§ 2 Extends state action immunity to any private party joining the venture majors. 189.081

AIImmunity is not limited to the hospital districts themselves. Any party that joins one of these collaborations with a district -- including a private company -- also gains state action immunity under Florida law and the Florida Constitution.

“Parties that jointly enter into or participate in joint relationships or collaborations with special districts pursuant to paragraph (a) have state action immunity” bill text, line 41 →
§ 3 Immunizes these ventures from antitrust law regardless of their effect majors. 189.081

AIThe immunity applies no matter the collaboration's purpose or effect, and holds even where the arrangement would otherwise be found to violate state or federal antitrust law.

“or that the exercise thereof may otherwise be deemed or considered to be in violation of state or federal antitrust laws” bill text, line 46 →
§ 4 Overrides any conflicting state law, general or special moderates. 189.081

AIThis new authority takes priority over any other Florida law -- general or special -- that conflicts with it, including a hospital district's own governing charter or special act.

“shall supersede and control over any general or special law that is inconsistent or in conflict with this subsection” bill text, line 49 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
1/12/2026
Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
1/12/2026
Referred to State Affairs Committee
1/12/2026
Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee
1/12/2026
Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
1/6/2026
Filed
1 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 189.081
+154 / −0