Overview
- SB 1808, which took effect Jan. 1, 2026, requires hospitals, clinics, individual providers and billing companies to refund patient overpayments within 30 days and exposes violators to administrative fines (up to $500 per violation) and possible professional discipline.
- Several companion bills signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis will take effect July 1, 2026 and create new entry routes and rules: HB 561 allows temporary teacher certificates and earlier coursework for candidates, HB 1343 lets Florida high‑school graduates seek an Insurance Customer Representative license without a college degree and mandates a half‑credit insurance course, and SB 1030 narrows when provisional admissions apply and limits background checks in some ownership changes for substance‑use providers.
- SB 418 establishes an optional Blue Envelope and Blue Card program for people with autism and requires phased police training, with materials available Jan. 1, 2027 and training deadlines through 2030 to improve communication and reduce risks during stops.
- HB 505, approved unanimously by the Legislature and awaiting the governor’s signature, would require crypto‑ATM operators to register with state regulators, display antifraud warnings, provide detailed receipts, impose transaction limits, and offer narrow fraud refunds with most provisions slated to begin in early 2027 if signed.
- State agencies including AHCA, DCF, DHSMV, the Department of Education and the Department of Financial Services must write rules, create registries and training materials, and enforce penalties, a process that will determine how quickly these laws protect patients, curb kiosk fraud that targets older and immigrant communities, and ease workforce shortages in schools and regulated services.