FL
Florida House Bill H0731

Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0731 Compare Versions

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1010 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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1414 A bill to be entitled 1
15-An act relating to standardized tests for admission to 2
16-medical institutions of higher education; creating s. 3
17-1004.0982, F.S.; defining the term "medical 4
18-institution of higher education"; requiring 5
19-standardized admissions tests focused on specified 6
20-knowledge and skills for admission to medical 7
21-institutions of higher education; providing an 8
22-effective date. 9
23- 10
24-Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State o f Florida: 11
25- 12
26- Section 1. Section 1004.0982, Florida Statutes, is created 13
27-to read: 14
28- 1004.0982 Standardized admissions tests for medical 15
29-institutions of higher education. — 16
30- (1) For purposes of this section, the term "medical 17
31-institution of higher educati on" means a state university, as 18
32-defined in s. 1000.21, that offers bachelor's, master's, or 19
33-doctoral degrees which receives state funds and offers health 20
34-care-related degrees, certification programs, or training. 21
35- (2) A medical institution of higher educ ation must require 22
36-a standardized admissions test focused on knowledge of and 23
37-critical thinking skills for science and medical training for 24
38-admission to the institution. 25
15+An act relating to prohibitions and limitations on 2
16+diversity, equity, and inclusion and requirements for 3
17+medical institutions of higher education; amending s. 4
18+20.105, F.S.; providing requirements for state 5
19+agencies applying for certain federal health care -6
20+related grants; creating s. 20.615, F.S.; providing 7
21+definitions; prohibiting state agencies from expending 8
22+certain funds for a diversity, equity, and inclusion 9
23+office or officer; authorizing a person to notify the 10
24+Attorney General for violations of law by a state 11
25+agency; authorizing the Attorney General to file suit 12
26+for a writ of mandamus; providing construction; 13
27+creating s. 20.62, F.S.; prohibiting a person from 14
28+being excluded on an examining or licensing board 15
29+based on specified grounds and from being sub jected to 16
30+discrimination by such board; prohibiting an examining 17
31+or licensing board from establishing or effectuating 18
32+certain policies or from making decisions based on 19
33+certain personal characteristics; creating a private 20
34+cause of action against certain bo ards and persons; 21
35+providing for actual, compensatory, or punitive 22
36+damages under certain circumstances; creating s. 23
37+287.139, F.S.; requiring potential recipients of state 24
38+contracts or grants to provide a specified 25
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4747 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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51- Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 26
51+certification to the Chief Financial Office r; 26
52+providing a definition for the term "diversity, 27
53+equity, and inclusion"; creating s. 395.3042, F.S.; 28
54+providing definitions; requiring health care providers 29
55+and medical institutions of higher education to 30
56+provide a specified certification to their governi ng 31
57+boards by a date certain and annually thereafter; 32
58+requiring the Florida Board of Medical Examiners to 33
59+publish on its website by a date certain, and annually 34
60+thereafter, a list of providers and institutions that 35
61+provided such certification; amending s. 4 56.013, 36
62+F.S.; providing definitions; prohibiting health care -37
63+related professional licensing boards and other 38
64+organizations that issue health care -related licenses 39
65+and certifications from certain actions relating to 40
66+diversity, equity, and inclusion; creatin g s. 41
67+1004.099, F.S.; requiring medical institutions of 42
68+higher education to provide letter grade -based 43
69+assessments for required courses; providing an 44
70+exception; amending s. 1007.263, F.S.; requiring 45
71+specified standardized tests for admission to medical 46
72+institutions of higher education; providing a 47
73+definition for the term "medical institution of higher 48
74+education"; providing an effective date. 49
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84+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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88+Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 51
89+ 52
90+ Section 1. Subsection (3) is added to section 20.1 05, 53
91+Florida Statutes, to read: 54
92+ 20.105 Federal Grants Trust Fund. — 55
93+ (3) A state agency as defined in s. 216.011(1) that is 56
94+applying for a federal health care -related grant relating to 57
95+diversity, equity, and inclusion, as defined in s. 20.615(1), 58
96+must do the following: 59
97+ (a) Publish on its website all materials, requirements, 60
98+and instructions related to the federal grant application which 61
99+are in the state agency's possession. 62
100+ (b) Submit a copy of the federal grant proposal to all 63
101+members of the Health Po licy Committee in the Senate and the 64
102+Health and Human Services Committee in the House of 65
103+Representatives. 66
104+ Section 2. Section 20.615, Florida Statutes, is created to 67
105+read: 68
106+ 20.615 Diversity, equity, and inclusion in state 69
107+agencies.— 70
108+ (1) As used in this section, the term: 71
109+ (a)1. "Diversity, equity, and inclusion" or "DEI" means: 72
110+ a. Any effort to manipulate or otherwise influence the 73
111+composition of employees with reference to race, sex, color, or 74
112+ethnicity, other than ensuring colorblind and race -neutral 75
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121+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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125+hiring in accordance with state and federal antidiscrimination 76
126+laws; 77
127+ b. Any effort to promote differential treatment of or 78
128+provide special benefits to a person based on his or her race, 79
129+color, or ethnicity; 80
130+ c. Any effort to promote or adopt polici es or procedures 81
131+designed or implemented with reference to race, color, or 82
132+ethnicity, other than policies or procedures approved in writing 83
133+by the Attorney General for the sole purpose of ensuring 84
134+compliance with any applicable court order or state or fede ral 85
135+law; 86
136+ d. Any effort to promote or adopt training, programming, 87
137+or activities designed or implemented with reference to race, 88
138+color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation, other 89
139+than training, programming, or activities developed by an 90
140+attorney licensed in this state and approved in writing by the 91
141+Attorney General for the sole purpose of ensuring compliance 92
142+with any applicable court order or state or federal law; or 93
143+ e. Any effort to promote as the official position of a 94
144+state agency a particular opinion referencing unconscious or 95
145+implicit bias, cultural appropriation, allyship, transgender 96
146+ideology, microaggressions, group marginalization, antiracism, 97
147+systemic oppression, social justice, intersectionality, 98
148+neopronouns, heteronormativity , disparate impact, gender theory, 99
149+racial or sexual privilege, or any related formulation of these 100
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158+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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162+concepts. 101
163+ 2. The term does not include equal opportunity or equal 102
164+employment opportunity materials designed to inform a person 103
165+about the prohibition on dis crimination based on protected 104
166+status under state or federal law. 105
167+ (b) "Diversity, equity, and inclusion office" or "DEI 106
168+office" means any division, office, center, or other unit of a 107
169+state agency, or component thereof, that coordinates, creates, 108
170+develops, designs, implements, organizes, plans, or promotes 109
171+policies, programming, training, practices, activities, and 110
172+procedures relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 111
173+ (c) "Diversity, equity, and inclusion officer" or "DEI 112
174+officer" means a person who i s a full-time or part-time employee 113
175+of a state agency, or component thereof, or an independent 114
176+contractor of a state agency, or component thereof, whose duties 115
177+for the state agency include coordinating, creating, developing, 116
178+designing, implementing, organi zing, planning, or promoting 117
179+policies, programming, training, practices, activities, or other 118
180+procedures relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 119
181+ (d) "State agency" has the same meaning as in s. 120
182+216.011(1). 121
183+ (2) A state agency may not expend approp riated funds or 122
184+otherwise expend any funds derived from bequests, charges, 123
185+deposits, donations, grants, gifts, income, receipts, or any 124
186+other source to establish, sustain, support, or staff a DEI 125
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195+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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199+office or to contract, employ, engage, or hire a person to s erve 126
200+as a DEI officer. 127
201+ (3) A person may notify the Attorney General of a 128
202+violation or potential violation of this section by a state 129
203+agency. The Attorney General may file suit for a writ of 130
204+mandamus compelling the state agency to comply with this 131
205+section. 132
206+ (4) This section does not prohibit bona fide 133
207+qualifications based on sex which are reasonably necessary to 134
208+the normal operation of government functions. 135
209+ Section 3. Section 20.62, Florida Statutes, is created to 136
210+read: 137
211+ 20.62 Prohibition on gender a nd racial quotas.— 138
212+ (1) A person may not be excluded, based on the ground of 139
213+race, color, ethnicity, gender, or sex, from joining an 140
214+examining or licensing board, as that term is defined in s. 141
215+20.03, or be subjected to discrimination by any such board 142
216+governed by this chapter. 143
217+ (2) An examining or licensing board may not establish or 144
218+effectuate in practice race -based policies, including 145
219+affirmative action, racial preferences, or racial quotas, 146
220+relating to the composition of the board. 147
221+ (3) An examining or licensing board may not use in any way 148
222+an applicant's or candidate's race, color, ethnicity, or 149
223+national origin to make decisions about such person's 150
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232+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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236+participation with or on the board. The use of aggregated data 151
237+concerning the applicant's or candidate's race, color, 152
238+ethnicity, or national origin to make any decisions is 153
239+prohibited. 154
240+ (4) There is a private cause of action against any 155
241+examining or licensing board governed by this chapter for a 156
242+violation, directly or indirectly, of the prohibitions in this 157
243+section. 158
244+ (5) There is a private cause of action against an officer, 159
245+employee, or agent of an examining or licensing board governed 160
246+by this chapter for a violation of this section. However, if an 161
247+officer, employee, or agent of an examining or licensing b oard 162
248+performed an action at the direction of the board or any other 163
249+superior officer, employee, or agent in violation of subsection 164
250+(2) or subsection (3), the cause of action may only be brought 165
251+against the examining or licensing board or the superior 166
252+officer, employee, or agent. 167
253+ (6) In an action brought under this section, a prevailing 168
254+plaintiff may recover any of the following: 169
255+ (a) Actual or compensatory damages sustained by the 170
256+plaintiff as a result of a violation of this section. 171
257+ (b) Punitive damages against the examining or licensing 172
258+board if the plaintiff demonstrates that the board discriminated 173
259+against the plaintiff intentionally or with reckless disregard 174
260+of the protected rights of such plaintiff. 175
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269+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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273+ Section 4. Section 287.139, Florida Statut es, is created 176
274+to read: 177
275+ 287.139 Prohibition against utilizing diversity, equity, 178
276+and inclusion material. —All potential recipients for a state 179
277+contract or grant must certify to the Chief Financial Officer 180
278+before being awarded such contract or grant that t he recipient 181
279+does not and will not require its employees, contractors, 182
280+volunteers, vendors, or agents to ascribe to, study, or be 183
281+instructed with diversity, equity, and inclusion material using 184
282+state funds. For purposes of this section, the term "diversity , 185
283+equity, and inclusion" has the same meaning as in s. 20.615(1). 186
284+ Section 5. Section 395.3042, Florida Statutes, is created 187
285+to read: 188
286+ 395.3042 Prohibition on diversity, equity, and inclusion 189
287+by health care providers. — 190
288+ (1) As used in this section, th e term: 191
289+ (a) "Diversity, equity, and inclusion" has the same 192
290+meaning as in s. 20.615(1). 193
291+ (b) "Health care provider" means a hospital, doctor's 194
292+office, outpatient clinic, medical testing site, medical 195
293+laboratory, physical or occupational therapy or rehab ilitation 196
294+provider, chiropractor, dentist, optometrist, mental health and 197
295+clinical social worker, and any related provider that accepts 198
296+public funding, including funding through Medicaid or Medicare. 199
297+ (c) "Medical institution of higher education" means a 200
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306+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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310+Florida College System institution or state university, as those 201
311+terms are defined in s. 1000.21, that offer bachelor's, 202
312+master's, or doctoral degrees, or a trade school that receives 203
313+state funds and offers health care -related degrees, 204
314+certification progra ms, or training. 205
315+ (2) All health care providers and medical institutions of 206
316+higher education must certify to their respective governing 207
317+boards by December 31, 2025, and annually thereafter, that they 208
318+do not and will not require their employees, contractor s, 209
319+volunteers, vendors, or agents to ascribe to, study, or be 210
320+instructed with diversity, equity, and inclusion material using 211
321+state funds. 212
322+ (3) The Florida Board of Medical Examiners shall publish 213
323+on its website by December 31, 2025, and annually thereaft er, a 214
324+list of all health care providers and medical institutions of 215
325+higher education that have provided certification that such 216
326+provider or institution is not engaging in, promoting, teaching, 217
327+participating in, or requiring diversity, equity, and inclusion 218
328+material. 219
329+ Section 6. Subsection (13) is added to section 456.013, 220
330+Florida Statutes, to read: 221
331+ 456.013 Department; general licensing provisions. — 222
332+ (13)(a) As used in this subsection, the term: 223
333+ 1. "Diversity, equity, and inclusion" has the same meaning 224
334+as in s. 20.615(1). 225
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343+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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347+ 2. "Health care-related professional licensing board" 226
348+means public licensing boards for audiology and speech 227
349+pathology, chiropractic, dentistry, dietetics and nutrition, 228
350+medicine, osteopathy, long -term care, mental health and human 229
351+services, massage therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, 230
352+optometry, pharmacology, physical therapy, podiatry, 231
353+professional counseling, psychology, and social work. 232
354+ (b) Health care-related professional licensing boards may 233
355+not adopt or impose, as a condition of obtaining or renewing 234
356+licenses, any incentives or requirements that applicants for 235
357+licensure undergo, demonstrate familiarity with, or support 236
358+diversity, equity, and inclusion training, education, material, 237
359+or programming. 238
360+ (c) Organizations that issue health care -related 239
361+professional licenses and certifications may not use diversity, 240
362+equity, and inclusion material or require diversity, equity, and 241
363+inclusion training as part of the licensing or certification 242
364+process. 243
365+ (d) Health care-related professional licensing boards and 244
366+organizations that issue health care -related professional 245
367+licenses and certifications may not conduct internal diversity, 246
368+equity, and inclusion audits or otherwise engage with diversity, 247
369+equity, and inclusion consultants. 248
370+ Section 7. Section 1004.099, Florida Statutes, is created 249
371+to read: 250
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380+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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384+ 1004.099 Grading in medical institutions of higher 251
385+education.—A medical institution of higher education as defined 252
386+in s. 1007.263(6), excluding those institutions that are open 253
387+enrollment, must provide letter grade -based assessments for each 254
388+course required to graduate and may not use pass/fail 255
389+assessments for any required course. 256
390+ Section 8. Subsection (6) is added to section 1007.263, 257
391+Florida Statutes, to read: 258
392+ 1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions 259
393+of students.—Each Florida College System institution board of 260
394+trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of 261
395+students subject to this section and rules of the State Board of 262
396+Education. These rules sha ll include the following: 263
397+ (6) A medical institution of higher education must require 264
398+a standardized admissions test focused on knowledge of and 265
399+critical thinking skills for science and medical training as a 266
400+requirement for admission. The term "medical in stitution of 267
401+higher education" means a Florida College System institution or 268
402+state university, as those terms are defined in s. 1000.21, that 269
403+offer bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees, or a trade 270
404+school that receives state funds and offers health car e-related 271
405+degrees, certification programs, or training. 272
406+ 273
407+Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify 274
408+students about developmental education options for improving 275
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417+F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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421+their communication or computation skills that are essential to 276
422+performing college-level work, including tutoring, extended time 277
423+in gateway courses, free online courses, adult basic education, 278
424+adult secondary education, or private provider instruction. 279
425+ Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 280