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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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to cancer treatment and research; 2
amending s. 381.915, F.S.; authorizing the Department 3
of Health to establish the Florida Cancer Research 4
Network; revising definitions; making grant funds 5
available; providing requirements and criteria for 6
grant fund applicants; providing criteria for awarding 7
grant funds; providing data reporting requirements for 8
health care providers; requiring certain data for 9
collection; providing requirements for the collection 10
of data; creating an online repository for best 11
practices on the Florida Cancer Connect website; 12
authorizing the Cancer Connect Collaborative to 13
oversee the Florida Cancer Research Network; creatin g 14
subcommittees; requiring the Cancer Connect 15
Collaborative to annually submit a specified report to 16
the Governor and the Legislature; creating the Cancer 17
Connect Collaborative Incubator; providing an 18
effective date. 19
20
Be It Enacted by the Legislature o f the State of Florida: 21
22
Section 1. Section 381.915, Florida Statutes, is amended 23
to read: 24
381.915 Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program. — 25
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(1) This section may be cited as the "Casey DeSantis 26
Cancer Research Act." 27
(2) The Casey DeSantis Cancer R esearch Program is 28
established to enhance the quality and competitiveness of cancer 29
care in this state, further a statewide biomedical research 30
strategy directly responsive to the health needs of Florida's 31
citizens, capitalize on the potential educational opportunities 32
available to its students, and promote the provision of high -33
quality, innovative health care for persons undergoing cancer 34
treatment in this state. The department shall: 35
(a) Make payments to cancer centers recognized by the 36
National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of 37
Health as NCI-designated cancer centers or NCI -designated 38
comprehensive cancer centers, and cancer centers working toward 39
achieving NCI designation. The department shall distribute funds 40
to participating cancer centers on a quarterly basis during each 41
fiscal year for which an appropriation is made. 42
(a)(b) Make cancer innovation grant funding available 43
through the Cancer Innovation Fund under subsection (9) to 44
health care providers and facilities that demonstra te excellence 45
in patient-centered cancer treatment or research. 46
(b) Establish the Florida Cancer Research Network within 47
the department, under the direction of the Cancer Connect 48
Collaborative, to promote the research and development of 49
innovative cancer treatments through the expansion of grant 50
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opportunities, enhance patient access to emerging cancer 51
therapies by extending research programs into rural and 52
underserved areas, track patient data to evaluate outcomes and 53
develop novel approaches to cancer ca re by increasing the 54
metrics collected by the Florida Cancer Data System, and 55
identify and implement best practices to ensure the delivery of 56
high-quality, effective cancer treatment. 57
(3) On or before September 15 of each year, the department 58
shall calculate an allocation fraction to be used for 59
distributing funds to participating cancer centers. On or before 60
the final business day of each quarter of the state fiscal year, 61
the department shall distribute to each participating cancer 62
center one-fourth of that cancer center's annual allocation 63
calculated under subsection (6). The allocation fraction for 64
each participating cancer center is based on the cancer center's 65
tier-designated weight under subsection (4) multiplied by each 66
of the following allocation f actors based on activities in this 67
state: number of reportable cases, peer -review costs, and 68
biomedical education and training. 69
(3) As used in this section, the term: 70
(a) "Biomedical education and training" means instruction 71
that is offered to a studen t who is enrolled in a biomedical 72
research program at an affiliated university as a medical 73
student or a student in a master's or doctoral degree program, 74
or who is a resident physician trainee or postdoctoral trainee 75
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in such program. An affiliated univers ity biomedical research 76
program must be accredited or approved by a nationally 77
recognized agency and offered through an institution accredited 78
by an accrediting agency or association recognized by the 79
database created and maintained by the United States De partment 80
of Education. Full-time equivalency for trainees shall be 81
prorated for training received in oncologic sciences and 82
oncologic medicine. 83
(b) "Cancer center" means a comprehensive center with at 84
least one geographic site in the state, a freestandin g center 85
located in the state, a center situated within an academic 86
institution, or a Florida -based formal research -based consortium 87
under centralized leadership that has achieved NCI designation 88
or is prepared to achieve NCI designation by June 30, 2025, or 89
has received a Cancer Center of Excellence Award 2024. 90
(c) "Florida-based" means that a health care provider or 91
facility that is physically located and provides services in 92
this state, and the cancer center's actual or sought designated 93
status is or would be recognized by the NCI as primarily located 94
in Florida and not in another state. 95
(4) The Florida Cancer Research Network shall make grant 96
funding available to Florida -based health care providers and 97
entities that conduct or plan to conduct research and 98
development of innovative cancer treatments for adult or 99
pediatric patients or prov ide workforce and post -doctoral 100
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fellowship practitioners in the prevention, screening, 101
diagnosis, or treatment of cancer. 102
(a) Grant funding available through the Florida Cancer 103
Research Network consists of funds appropriated by the 104
Legislature through th e Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program. 105
(b) A licensed or certified health care provider, 106
facility, or entity shall meet the following criteria to be 107
eligible for grant funding through the Florida Cancer Research 108
Network: 109
1. Operate as a Florida -based cancer center; 110
2. Operate a licensed hospital that has a minimum of 30 111
percent of current cancer patients that reside in rural or 112
underserved areas; 113
3. Operate a licensed health care clinic or facility that 114
employs or contracts with at least one lice nsed physician who 115
specializes in oncology and delivers chemotherapy treatments for 116
cancer; 117
4. Operate a licensed facility that employs or contracts 118
with at least one licensed physician who specializes in oncology 119
and that delivers radiation therapy trea tments for cancer; 120
5. Operate as a rural hospital as defined in s. 121
395.602(2); 122
6. Operate as a critical access hospital as defined in s. 123
408.07; 124
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7. Operate as a specialty hospital as defined in s. 125
395.002(28)(a) that serves patients up to 18 years o f age; 126
8. Engage in biomedical research intended to develop 127
therapies, medical pharmaceuticals, treatment protocols, or 128
medical procedures intended to cure cancer or improve a 129
patient's quality of life; or 130
9. Educate or train students, post -doctoral fellows, or 131
licensed or certified health care practitioners in the 132
screening, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer. 133
(c) The department shall oversee the distribution of grant 134
funds awarded to health care providers and entities through the 135
Florida Cancer Resea rch Network. The department shall distribute 136
grant funds on a quarterly basis during each fiscal year for 137
which an appropriation is made. 138
(d) Eligible health care providers or entities must submit 139
applications to the department by July 1 of each year to be 140
considered for Florida Cancer Research Network grant fund 141
awards. 142
(e) The department shall evaluate applications submitted 143
by health care providers and entities. The department shall 144
consider each applicant's ability to: 145
1. Achieve objectives and ou tcomes. 146
2. Identify populations, types of cancer, and short and 147
long-term goals and outcomes. 148
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3. Expand access to cancer screenings, diagnostic 149
services, or treatment to rural or underserved populations. 150
4. Research or implement innovative cancer tre atments or 151
screenings or diagnostic services, and 152
5. Research innovative medical pharmaceutical treatments 153
to cure cancer or improve the quality of life of cancer 154
patients. 155
6. Collaborate with other health care providers or 156
entities to deliver cancer s creenings, diagnostic services, or 157
treatments; participate in phase III clinical trials of 158
experimental cancer treatments; or conduct biomedical research 159
intended to cure cancer or improve the quality of life of cancer 160
patients. 161
7. Educate or train stude nts, post-doctoral fellows, or 162
licensed or certified health care practitioners in the 163
screening, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer. 164
(f) The department shall deem an application qualified or 165
unqualified based on its evaluation. 166
(g)1. On or before Octobe r 1 of each year, the department 167
shall calculate an allocation of grant funds for health care 168
providers or entities that submit a qualified application. 169
2. The department shall contract with grant awardees to 170
conduct research to develop innovative cancer treatments, 171
procedures, therapeutic services, medical pharmaceuticals, or 172
provide biomedical education and training in the care and 173
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treatment of cancer. 174
(5)(a) The department shall expand the Florida Cancer Data 175
System to include data on patient outcome s and quality of care 176
submitted by licensed health care providers that diagnose, 177
treat, and screen for cancer. 178
(b) Licensed health care providers that diagnose, treat, 179
and screen for cancer must report to the Florida Cancer Data 180
System data that includes all of the following: 181
1. Patient-reported outcome measures that collect patient 182
reports on symptoms, quality of life, quality of cancer care, 183
and cancer treatment outcomes. 184
2. Quality of care measures that identify and report all 185
of the following: 186
a. Cancer screening rates. 187
b. Timeliness of diagnosis and treatment. 188
c. Clinical guidelines adherence. 189
d. Survival rates. 190
e. Tumor response rates. 191
f. Progression-free survival rates. 192
g. Disease-free survival rates. 193
h. Treatment complication ra tes. 194
i. Percentage of cancer patients receiving palliative or 195
hospice care, and coordination of care. 196
j. Provider volume and expertise. 197
k. Adverse event monitoring. 198
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l. Treatment compliance and persistence. 199
m. Biomarker response. 200
n. Long-term outcomes and survivorship. 201
(6) The department shall create an online repository on 202
the Florida Cancer Connect website of best practices for cancer 203
treatment, screening, diagnosis, prevention, and survivorship. 204
The repository shall include best practices fo r all of the 205
following: 206
(a) Screening and risk reduction of cancer. 207
(b) Clinical management of cancer. 208
(c) Phases I-IV clinical trials for cancer treatments. 209
(d) Care plans for patients receiving post -cancer 210
treatment. 211
(d) "Peer-review costs" means the total annual direct 212
costs for peer-reviewed cancer-related research projects, 213
consistent with reporting guidelines provided by the NCI, for 214
the most recent annual reporting period available. 215
(e) "Reportable cases" means cases of cancer in which a 216
cancer center is involved in the diagnosis, evaluation of the 217
diagnosis, evaluation of the extent of cancer spread at the time 218
of diagnosis, or administration of all or any part of the first 219
course of therapy for the most recent annual reporting period 220
available. Cases relating to patients enrolled in institutional 221
or investigator-initiated interventional clinical trials shall 222
be weighted at 1.2 relative to other cases weighted at 1.0. 223
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Determination of institutional or investigator -initiated 224
interventional clinical trials must be consistent with reporting 225
guidelines provided by the NCI. 226
(4) Tier designations and corresponding weights within the 227
Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program are as follows: 228
(a) Tier 1: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers, 229
which shall be weighted at 1.5. 230
(b) Tier 2: NCI-designated cancer centers, which shall be 231
weighted at 1.25. 232
(c) Tier 3: Cancer centers seeking designation as either a 233
NCI-designated cancer center or NCI -designated comprehensive 234
cancer center, which sh all be weighted at 1.0. 235
1. A cancer center shall meet the following minimum 236
criteria to be considered eligible for Tier 3 designation in any 237
given fiscal year: 238
a. Conducting cancer -related basic scientific research and 239
cancer-related population scienti fic research; 240
b. Offering and providing the full range of diagnostic and 241
treatment services on site, as determined by the Commission on 242
Cancer of the American College of Surgeons; 243
c. Hosting or conducting cancer -related interventional 244
clinical trials that are registered with the NCI's Clinical 245
Trials Reporting Program; 246
d. Offering degree-granting programs or affiliating with 247
universities through degree -granting programs accredited or 248
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approved by a nationally recognized agency and offered through 249
the center or through the center in conjunction with another 250
institution accredited by an accrediting agency or association 251
recognized by the database created and maintained by the United 252
States Department of Education; 253
e. Providing training to clinical trai nees, medical 254
trainees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate 255
Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association, and 256
postdoctoral fellows recently awarded a doctorate degree; and 257
f. Having more than $5 million in annual direct costs 258
associated with their total NCI peer -reviewed grant funding. 259
2. The General Appropriations Act or accompanying 260
legislation may limit the number of cancer centers which shall 261
receive Tier 3 designations or provide additional criteria for 262
such designation. 263
3. A cancer center's participation in Tier 3 may not 264
extend beyond June 30, 2024. 265
4. A cancer center that qualifies as a designated Tier 3 266
center under the criteria provided in subparagraph 1. by July 1, 267
2014, is authorized to pursue NCI designation as a cancer center 268
or a comprehensive cancer center until June 30, 2024. 269
(5) The department shall use the following formula to 270
calculate a participating cancer center's allocation fraction: 271
CAF = [0.4 x (CRC÷TCRC)]+[0.3 x (CPC÷TCPC)]+[0.3 x (CBE÷TCBE)] 272
Where: 273
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CAF = A cancer center's allocation fraction. 274
CRC = A cancer center's tier -weighted reportable cases. 275
TCRC = The total tier -weighted reportable cases for all 276
cancer centers. 277
CPC = A cancer center's tier -weighted peer-review costs. 278
TCPC = The total tier-weighted peer-review costs for all 279
cancer centers. 280
CBE = A cancer center's tier -weighted biomedical education 281
and training. 282
TCBE = The total tier -weighted biomedical education and 283
training for all cancer centers. 284
(6) A cancer center's annual allocation shall be 285
calculated by multiplying the funds appropriated for the Casey 286
DeSantis Cancer Research Program in the General Appropriations 287
Act by that cancer center's allocation fraction. If the 288
calculation results in an annual allocation that is le ss than 289
$16 million, that cancer center's annual allocation shall be 290
increased to a sum equaling $16 million, with the additional 291
funds being provided proportionally from the annual allocations 292
calculated for the other participating cancer centers. 293
(7) The amount of $37,771,257 from the total funds 294
appropriated in the General Appropriations Act for the Casey 295
DeSantis Cancer Research Program shall be excluded from the 296
annual allocation fraction calculation under subsection (5). The 297
excluded amount shall be distributed to participating cancer 298
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centers in the same proportion as determined by the allocation 299
fraction calculation. 300
(7)(8) The Cancer Connect Collaborative, a council as 301
defined in s. 20.03, is created within the department to advise 302
the department and the Legislature on developing a holistic 303
approach to the state's efforts to fund cancer research, cancer 304
facilities, and treatments for cancer patients. The 305
collaborative may make recommendations on proposed legislation, 306
proposed rules, best practices , data collection and reporting, 307
issuance of grant funds, and other proposals for state policy 308
relating to cancer research or treatment. 309
(a) The Surgeon General shall serve as an ex officio, 310
nonvoting member and shall serve as the chair. 311
(b) The collaborative shall be composed of the following 312
voting members, to be appointed by September 1, 2024: 313
1. Two members appointed by the Governor, one member 314
appointed by the President of the Senate, and one member 315
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Repres entatives, based 316
on the criteria of this subparagraph. The appointing officers 317
shall make their appointments prioritizing members who have the 318
following experience or expertise: 319
a. The practice of a health care profession specializing 320
in oncology clinical care or research; 321
b. The development of preventive and therapeutic 322
treatments to control cancer; 323
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c. The development of innovative research into the causes 324
of cancer, the development of effective treatments for persons 325
with cancer, or cures for cancer ; or 326
d. Management-level experience with a cancer center 327
licensed under chapter 395. 328
2. One member who is a resident of this state who can 329
represent the interests of cancer patients in this state, 330
appointed by the Governor. 331
(c) The terms of appointees under paragraph (b) shall be 332
for 2 years unless otherwise specified. However, to achieve 333
staggered terms, the initial appointees under that paragraph 334
shall serve 3 years for their first term. These appointees may 335
be reappointed for no more than four consecutive terms. 336
(d) Any vacancy occurring on the collaborative must be 337
filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Any 338
member who is appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of 339
death, resignation, or ineligibility for membership s hall serve 340
only for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor. 341
(e) Members whose terms have expired may continue to serve 342
until replaced or reappointed, but for no more than 6 months 343
after the expiration of their terms. 344
(f) Members shall serve wit hout compensation but are 345
entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses 346
pursuant to s. 112.061. 347
(g) The collaborative shall meet as necessary, but at 348
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least quarterly, at the call of the chair. A majority of the 349
members of the collaborative c onstitutes a quorum, and a meeting 350
may not be held with less than a quorum present. In order to 351
establish a quorum, the collaborative may conduct its meetings 352
through teleconference or other electronic means. The 353
affirmative vote of a majority of the membe rs of the 354
collaborative present is necessary for any official action by 355
the collaborative. 356
(h) The collaborative shall oversee the administration and 357
functions of the Florida Cancer Research Network. 358
(i)1. The following subcommittees are created to rev iew 359
and evaluate performance of and to advise and support the 360
collaborative on the oversight of the Florida Cancer Research 361
Network. Each subcommittee shall have eight members appointed by 362
the State Surgeon General and be chaired by a current member of 363
the collaborative: 364
a. Research Funding Subcommittee. 365
b. Recruitment Funding Subcommittee. 366
c. Infrastructure and Technology Funding Subcommittee. 367
d. Program Development Funding Subcommittee. 368
2. Appointees shall serve for a 2 -year term. However, to 369
achieve staggered terms, the initial appointees shall serve for 370
3 years for their first term. Such appointees may be reappointed 371
for no more than 4 consecutive terms. 372
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3. Members shall serve without compensation but are 373
entitled to reimbursement for per die m and travel expenses 374
pursuant to s. 112.061. 375
(j) The collaborative shall prepare an annual report due 376
to the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the 377
House of Representatives by December 1, 2025, and each 378
succeeding year that identifies and evaluates performance and 379
effect of the Florida Cancer Research Network on cancer 380
treatment, screening, diagnosis, prevention, practitioner and 381
workforce education, and survivorship. The report shall include 382
the following: 383
1. A needs assessment that ana lyzes current practices, 384
patient outcomes, and gaps in care throughout the state. 385
2. A review of current evidence -based clinical guidelines 386
released by reputable clinical associations. 387
3. A literature review of cancer treatment studies 388
published during the previous calendar years. 389
4. An assessment of current and innovative cancer 390
screening and diagnostic services. 391
5. Amount of grant funds awarded to each awardee. 392
6. Descriptions of each awardee's research or project that 393
includes the following: 394
a. Goals or projected outcomes 395
b. Population to be served 396
c. Research methods or project implementation plan 397
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7. An assessment of awardees of grant funds that evaluates 398
performance toward achieving objectives specified in their grant 399
funds applications. 400
8. Case studies of Florida patients who have received 401
cancer treatment and patients who are receiving post -cancer 402
treatment. 403
9. Recommendations for best practices to be implemented by 404
health care providers in Florida that diagnose, treat, and 405
screen for cancer. 406
(k) The committee shall meet quarterly or at the call of 407
the chair. A majority of the members of the committee 408
constitutes a quorum, and a meeting may not be held with less 409
than a quorum present. In order to establish a quorum, the 410
committee may conduct its meetings through teleconference or 411
other electronic means. The affirmative vote of a majority of 412
the members of the committee present is necessary for any 413
official action by the committee. 414
(h) The collaborative shall develop a long -range 415
comprehensive plan for the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research 416
Program. In the development of the plan, the collaborative must 417
solicit input from cancer centers, research institutions, 418
biomedical education institutions, hospitals, and medical 419
providers. The collaborative shall submit the plan to the 420
Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 421
House of Representatives no later than December 1, 2024. The 422
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plan must include, but need not be limited to, all of the 423
following components: 424
1. Expansion of grant fund opportunities to include a 425
broader pool of Florida -based cancer centers, research 426
institutions, biomedical education institutions, hospitals, and 427
medical providers to receive funding through the Cancer 428
Innovation Fund. 429
2. An evaluation to determine metrics that focus on 430
patient outcomes, quality of care, and efficacy of treatment. 431
3. A compilation of best practices relating to cancer 432
research or treatment. 433
(l)(i) The department shall provide reasonable and 434
necessary support sta ff and materials to assist the 435
collaborative in the performance of its duties. 436
(m)1.(j)1. As used in this paragraph, the term 437
"proprietary business information" means information that: 438
a. Is owned or controlled by the applicant; 439
b. Is intended to be private and is treated by the 440
applicant as private; 441
c. Has not been disclosed except as required by law or a 442
private agreement that provides that the information will not be 443
released to the public; 444
d. Is not readily available or ascertainable through 445
proper means from another source in the same configuration as 446
received by the collaborative; 447
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e. Affects competitive interests, and the disclosure of 448
such information would impair the competitive advantage of the 449
applicant; and 450
f. Is explicitly identifie d or clearly marked as 451
proprietary business information. 452
2. Proprietary business information held by the department 453
or the collaborative is confidential and exempt from s. 454
119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This 455
exemption does not apply to information contained in final 456
recommendations of the collaborative. 457
3. Portions of a meeting of the collaborative during which 458
confidential and exempt proprietary business information is 459
discussed are exempt from s. 286.011 and s. 24(b), Art. I of the 460
State Constitution. The closed portion of a meeting must be 461
recorded, and the recording must be maintained by the 462
collaborative. The recording is confidential and exempt from s. 463
119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. 464
4.a. Proprietary business information made confidential 465
and exempt under subparagraph 2. may be disclosed with the 466
express written consent of the applicant to whom the information 467
pertains, or the applicant's legally authorized representative, 468
or pursuant to a court order upon a showing of good cause. 469
b. Recordings of those portions of exempt meetings which 470
are made confidential and exempt under subparagraph 3. may be 471
disclosed to the department or pursuant to a court order upon a 472
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showing of good cause. 473
5. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset 474
Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed 475
on October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal 476
through reenactment by the Legislature. 477
(8)(9) The collaborative shall advise the department on 478
the awarding of grants issued through the Cancer Innovation 479
Fund. During any fiscal year for which funds are appropriated to 480
the fund, the collaborative shall review all submitted grant 481
applications and make recommendations to the department for 482
awarding grants to support innovative cancer research and 483
treatment models, including emerging research and treatment 484
trends and promising treatments that may serve as catalysts for 485
further research and treatments. The department shall make the 486
final grant allocation awards. The collaborative shall give 487
priority to applications seeking to expand the reach of 488
innovative cancer treatment models into underserved areas of 489
this state. 490
(9)(10) Beginning July 1, 2025, and each year thereafter, 491
the department, in conjunction with participating cancer 492
centers, shall submit a report to the Cancer Control and 493
Research Advisory Council and the collaborative on specific 494
metrics relating to cancer mortality and external funding for 495
cancer-related research in this s tate. If a cancer center does 496
not endorse this report or produce an equivalent independent 497
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report, the cancer center is ineligible to receive program 498
funding for 1 year. The department must submit this annual 499
report, and any equivalent independent reports, to the Governor, 500
the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of 501
Representatives no later than September 15 of each year the 502
report or reports are submitted by the department. The report 503
must include: 504
(a) An analysis of trending age -adjusted cancer mortality 505
rates in the state, which must include, at a minimum, overall 506
age-adjusted mortality rates for cancer statewide and age -507
adjusted mortality rates by age group, geographic region, and 508
type of cancer, which must include, at a minimum: 509
1. Lung cancer. 510
2. Pancreatic cancer. 511
3. Sarcoma. 512
4. Melanoma. 513
5. Leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. 514
6. Brain cancer. 515
7. Breast cancer. 516
(b) Identification of trends in overall federal funding, 517
broken down by institutional source, for cancer -related research 518
in the state. 519
(c) A list and narrative description of interinstitutional 520
collaboration among participating cancer centers, which may 521
include grants received by participating cancer centers in 522
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collaboration, a comparison of such grants i n proportion to the 523
grant totals for each cancer center, a catalog of retreats and 524
progress seed grants using state funds, and targets for 525
collaboration in the future and reports on progress regarding 526
such targets where appropriate. 527
(10)(11) Beginning July 1, 2024, each allocation agreement 528
issued by the department relating to cancer center payments 529
under subsection (2) must include all of the following: 530
(a) A line-item budget narrative documenting the annual 531
allocation of funds to a cancer center. 532
(b) A cap on the annual award of 15 percent for 533
administrative expenses. 534
(c) A requirement for the cancer center to submit 535
quarterly reports of all expenditures made by the cancer center 536
with funds received through the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research 537
Program. 538
(d) A provision to allow the department and other state 539
auditing bodies to audit all financial records, supporting 540
documents, statistical records, and any other documents 541
pertinent to the allocation agreement. 542
(e) A provision requiring the annual re porting of outcome 543
data and protocols used in achieving those outcomes. 544
(11) The Legislature recognizes that nationally, targeted 545
areas of cancer research require increased resources and that 546
Florida should become a leader in promoting research 547
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opportunities for these targeted areas. Floridians should not 548
have to leave the state to receive the most advanced cancer care 549
and treatment. To meet this need, the Legislature is authorizing 550
the creation of the Cancer Connect Collaborative Research 551
Incubator to identify and provide funding for a targeted area of 552
cancer research for a 5 -year period. 553
(12) The collaborative shall evaluate the present state of 554
cancer research in Florida and the United States and submit a 555
report to the Governor, President of the Senat e, and Speaker of 556
the House of Representatives by October 1, 2025, that recommends 557
a targeted area of research for 5 years, beginning January 1, 558
2026, and ending December 31, 2030, for the awarding of funds. 559
(13) The department shall establish criteria a nd allocate 560
funds beginning January 1, 2026, and each year thereafter until 561
2030, for conducting research on the targeted area of cancer 562
recommended by the report as described in (12). 563
(14) The collaborative must only allocate funds for 564
research in the targeted area of cancer recommended by the 565
report as described in (12). 566
(15) Beginning July 1, 2026, each allocation agreement 567
issued by the department relating to the Cancer Connect 568
Collaborative Research Incubator payments under subsection (11) 569
must include all of the following: 570
(a) A line-item budget narrative documenting the annual 571
allocation of funds to a recipient. 572
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(b) A cap on the annual award of 15 percent for 573
administrative expenses. 574
(c) A requirement for the recipient to submit quarterly 575
reports of all expenditures made by the recipient with funds 576
received through the Cancer Connect Collaborative Research 577
Incubator. 578
(d) A provision to allow the department and other state 579
auditing bodies to audit all financial records, supporting 580
documents, statistical records, and any other documents 581
pertinent to the allocation agreement. 582
(e) A provision requiring the annual reporting of outcome 583
data and protocols used in achieving those outcomes. 584
(16)(a) Beginning July 1, 2027, and each year thereafter 585
until 2031, the collaborative shall submit a report to the 586
Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of 587
Representatives that evaluates research conducted through the 588
Cancer Connect Collaborative Research Incubator and presents 589
statuses and findings. 590
(b) The final report submitted on July 1, 2031, must 591
include all of the following: 592
1. A summary of all results from the research completed or 593
the status of research in progress. 594
2. An evaluation of all research conducted under the 595
Cancer Connect Collaborative Research Incubator, beginning 596
January 1, 2026. 597
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3. Recommendations for future areas of cancer research. 598
(17)(12) This section is subject to annual appropriation 599
by the Legislature. 600
(18)(13) The department may adopt rules to admi nister this 601
section. 602
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 603