Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1591 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	HB 1591 2025
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb1591-00
9	9	Page 1 of 26
10	10	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
11	11
12	12
13	13
14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to first responders; amending s. 2
16	16	401.113, F.S.; providing that funds in the First 3
17	17	Responders Trust Fund may be used for grants to 4
18	18	support first responder mental health; amending s. 5
19	19	401.345, F.S.; renaming the Emergency Medical Services 6
20	20	Trust Fund as the First Responders Trust Fund; 7
21	21	amending ss. 316.0083, 316.061, 316.192, and 318.18, 8
22	22	F.S.; revising the amount of fines for certain traffic 9
23	23	violations to increase the amount of funding for the 10
24	24	First Responders Trust Fund; amending ss. 20.435, 11
25	25	316.306, 318.14, 318.21, 320.0801, 320.08058, 395.401, 12
26	26	395.403, 395.4036, 401.2715, 401.34, 401.411, 401.421, 13
27	27	401.465, and 938.07, F.S.; conforming provisions to 14
28	28	changes made by the act; providing an effective date. 15
29	29	16
30	30	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of t he State of Florida: 17
31	31	18
32	32	Section 1. Section 401.113, Florida Statutes, is amended 19
33	33	to read: 20
34	34	401.113 Department; powers and duties. — 21
35	35	(1) Funds deposited into the First Responders Emergency 22
36	36	Medical Services Trust Fund as provided by ss. 316.061, 316.192, 23
37	37	318.21, and 938.07 must be used solely to improve and expand 24
38	38	prehospital emergency medical services in the state. 25
39	39
40	40	HB 1591 2025
41	41
42	42
43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb1591-00
46	46	Page 2 of 26
47	47	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
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	(2) The department shall annually dispense funds contained 26
52	52	in the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund as 27
53	53	follows: 28
54	54	(a) Forty-five percent of such moneys must be divided 29
55	55	among the counties according to the proportion of the combined 30
56	56	amount deposited in the trust fund from the county. These funds 31
57	57	may not be used to match grant funds as identified in paragraph 32
58	58	(b). An individual board of county commissioners may distribute 33
59	59	these funds to emergency medical services organizations and 34
60	60	youth athletic organizations within the county, as it deems 35
61	61	appropriate. 36
62	62	(b) Forty percent of such moneys must be used by the 37
63	63	department for making matching grants to local agencies, 38
64	64	municipalities, emergency medical services organizations, and 39
65	65	youth athletic organizations for the purpose of conducting 40
66	66	research, increasing existing levels of emergency medical 41
67	67	services, evaluation, community educati on, injury-prevention 42
68	68	programs, and training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 43
69	69	other lifesaving and first aid techniques , and first responder 44
70	70	mental health. 45
71	71	1. At least 90 percent of these moneys must be made 46
72	72	available on a cash matching basis. A gran t made under this 47
73	73	subparagraph must be contingent upon the recipient providing a 48
74	74	cash sum equal to 25 percent of the total department -approved 49
75	75	grant amount. 50
76	76
77	77	HB 1591 2025
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb1591-00
83	83	Page 3 of 26
84	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
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	2. No more than 10 percent of these moneys must be made 51
89	89	available to rural emergency medical serv ices, and 52
90	90	notwithstanding the restrictions specified in subsection (1), 53
91	91	these moneys may be used for improvement, expansion, or 54
92	92	continuation of services provided. A grant made under this 55
93	93	subparagraph must be contingent upon the recipient providing a 56
94	94	cash sum equal to no more than 10 percent of the total 57
95	95	department-approved grant amount. 58
96	96	59
97	97	The department shall develop procedures and standards for grant 60
98	98	disbursement under this paragraph based on the need for 61
99	99	emergency medical services, the requirements of the population 62
100	100	to be served, and the objectives of the state emergency medical 63
101	101	services plan. 64
102	102	(c) Fifteen percent of such moneys must be used by the 65
103	103	department for capital equipment outlay, personnel, community 66
104	104	education, evaluation, and other costs associat ed with the 67
105	105	administration of this chapter. Any moneys not annually used for 68
106	106	this purpose must be used for making additional rural grant 69
107	107	funds available. 70
108	108	Section 2. Section 401.345, Florida Statutes, is amended 71
109	109	to read: 72
110	110	401.345 First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust 73
111	111	Fund.— 74
112	112	(1) There is created the First Responders Emergency 75
113	113
114	114	HB 1591 2025
115	115
116	116
117	117
118	118	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
119	119	hb1591-00
120	120	Page 4 of 26
121	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
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	Medical Services Trust Fund in the State Treasury, which shall 76
126	126	be used exclusively for those purposes provided by law. 77
127	127	(2) Any funds appropriated in the General Appropriations 78
128	128	Act for functions related to emergency medical services, and any 79
129	129	other funds that become available for functions related to 80
130	130	emergency medical services, must be deposited in the First 81
131	131	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund. 82
132	132	Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 83
133	133	316.0083, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 84
134	134	316.0083 Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program; 85
135	135	administration; report. — 86
136	136	(1) 87
137	137	(b)1.a. Within 30 days after a viol ation, notification 88
138	138	must be sent to the registered owner of the motor vehicle 89
139	139	involved in the violation specifying the remedies available 90
140	140	under s. 318.14 and that the violator must pay the penalty of 91
141	141	$158 to the department, county, or municipality, or furn ish an 92
142	142	affidavit in accordance with paragraph (d), or request a hearing 93
143	143	within 60 days following the date of the notification in order 94
144	144	to avoid the issuance of a traffic citation. The notification 95
145	145	must be sent by first -class mail. The mailing of the notice of 96
146	146	violation constitutes notification. 97
147	147	b. Included with the notification to the registered owner 98
148	148	of the motor vehicle involved in the infraction must be a notice 99
149	149	that the owner has the right to review the photographic or 100
150	150
151	151	HB 1591 2025
152	152
153	153
154	154
155	155	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
156	156	hb1591-00
157	157	Page 5 of 26
158	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
159	159
160	160
161	161
162	162	electronic images or the streami ng video evidence that 101
163	163	constitutes a rebuttable presumption against the owner of the 102
164	164	vehicle. The notice must state the time and place or Internet 103
165	165	location where the evidence may be examined and observed. 104
166	166	c. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person 105
167	167	who receives a notice of violation under this section may 106
168	168	request a hearing within 60 days following the notification of 107
169	169	violation or pay the penalty pursuant to the notice of 108
170	170	violation, but a payment or fee may not be required before the 109
171	171	hearing requested by the person. The notice of violation must be 110
172	172	accompanied by, or direct the person to a website that provides, 111
173	173	information on the person's right to request a hearing and on 112
174	174	all court costs related thereto and a form to request a hearing. 113
175	175	As used in this sub-subparagraph, the term "person" includes a 114
176	176	natural person, registered owner or co -owner of a motor vehicle, 115
177	177	or person identified on an affidavit as having care, custody, or 116
178	178	control of the motor vehicle at the time of the violation. 117
179	179	d. If the registered owner or co -owner of the motor 118
180	180	vehicle, or the person designated as having care, custody, or 119
181	181	control of the motor vehicle at the time of the violation, or an 120
182	182	authorized representative of the owner, co -owner, or designated 121
183	183	person, initiates a proc eeding to challenge the violation 122
184	184	pursuant to this paragraph, such person waives any challenge or 123
185	185	dispute as to the delivery of the notice of violation. 124
186	186	2. Penalties assessed and collected by the department, 125
187	187
188	188	HB 1591 2025
189	189
190	190
191	191
192	192	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
193	193	hb1591-00
194	194	Page 6 of 26
195	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
196	196
197	197
198	198
199	199	county, or municipality authorized to collect the funds provided 126
200	200	for in this paragraph, less the amount retained by the county or 127
201	201	municipality pursuant to subparagraph 3., shall be paid to the 128
202	202	Department of Revenue weekly. Payment by the department, county, 129
203	203	or municipality to the state shall be made b y means of 130
204	204	electronic funds transfers. In addition to the payment, summary 131
205	205	detail of the penalties remitted shall be reported to the 132
206	206	Department of Revenue. 133
207	207	3. Penalties to be assessed and collected by the 134
208	208	department, county, or municipality are as follow s: 135
209	209	a. One hundred sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 136
210	210	violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver 137
211	211	failed to stop at a traffic signal if enforcement is by the 138
212	212	department's traffic infraction enforcement officer. One hundred 139
213	213	dollars shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for 140
214	214	deposit into the General Revenue Fund, $20 $10 shall be remitted 141
215	215	to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Department of 142
216	216	Health First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund, 143
217	217	$3 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit 144
218	218	into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund, and $45 shall 145
219	219	be distributed to the municipality in which the violation 146
220	220	occurred, or, if the violation occurred in an unincorporated 147
221	221	area, to the county in whi ch the violation occurred. Funds 148
222	222	deposited into the Department of Health First Responders 149
223	223	Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under this sub -150
224	224
225	225	HB 1591 2025
226	226
227	227
228	228
229	229	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
230	230	hb1591-00
231	231	Page 7 of 26
232	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
233	233
234	234
235	235
236	236	subparagraph shall be distributed as provided in s. 395.4036(1). 151
237	237	Proceeds of the infractions in the Brain and Spi nal Cord Injury 152
238	238	Trust Fund shall be distributed quarterly to the Miami Project 153
239	239	to Cure Paralysis and used for brain and spinal cord research. 154
240	240	b. One hundred sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 155
241	241	violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a dri ver 156
242	242	failed to stop at a traffic signal if enforcement is by a county 157
243	243	or municipal traffic infraction enforcement officer. Seventy 158
244	244	dollars shall be remitted by the county or municipality to the 159
245	245	Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund , 160
246	246	$20 $10 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for 161
247	247	deposit into the Department of Health First Responders Emergency 162
248	248	Medical Services Trust Fund, $3 shall be remitted to the 163
249	249	Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord 164
250	250	Injury Trust Fund, and $75 shall be retained by the county or 165
251	251	municipality enforcing the ordinance enacted pursuant to this 166
252	252	section. Funds deposited into the Department of Health First 167
253	253	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under this sub -168
254	254	subparagraph shall be distributed as provided in s. 395.4036(1). 169
255	255	Proceeds of the infractions in the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury 170
256	256	Trust Fund shall be distributed quarterly to the Miami Project 171
257	257	to Cure Paralysis and used for brain and spinal cord research. 172
258	258	4. An individual may not receive a commission from any 173
259	259	revenue collected from violations detected through the use of a 174
260	260	traffic infraction detector. A manufacturer or vendor may not 175
261	261
262	262	HB 1591 2025
263	263
264	264
265	265
266	266	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
267	267	hb1591-00
268	268	Page 8 of 26
269	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
270	270
271	271
272	272
273	273	receive a fee or remuneration based upon the number of 176
274	274	violations detected through the us e of a traffic infraction 177
275	275	detector. 178
276	276	Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 316.061, Florida 179
277	277	Statutes, is amended to read: 180
278	278	316.061 Crashes involving damage to vehicle or property. — 181
279	279	(1) The driver of any vehicle involved in a crash 182
280	280	resulting only in da mage to a vehicle or other property which is 183
281	281	driven or attended by any person shall immediately stop such 184
282	282	vehicle at the scene of such crash or as close thereto as 185
283	283	possible, and shall forthwith return to, and in every event 186
284	284	shall remain at, the scene of th e crash until he or she has 187
285	285	fulfilled the requirements of s. 316.062. A person who violates 188
286	286	this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, 189
287	287	punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 190
288	288	Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, $10 $5 191
289	289	shall be added to a fine imposed pursuant to this section, which 192
290	290	$10 $5 shall be deposited in the First Responders Emergency 193
291	291	Medical Services Trust Fund. 194
292	292	Section 5. Subsection (4) of section 316.192, Florida 195
293	293	Statutes, is amended to read: 196
294	294	316.192 Reckless driving. — 197
295	295	(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, 198
296	296	$10 $5 shall be added to a fine imposed pursuant to this 199
297	297	section. The clerk shall remit the $10 $5 to the Department of 200
298	298
299	299	HB 1591 2025
300	300
301	301
302	302
303	303	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
304	304	hb1591-00
305	305	Page 9 of 26
306	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
307	307
308	308
309	309
310	310	Revenue for deposit in the First Responders Emergency Medical 201
311	311	Services Trust Fund. 202
312	312	Section 6. Paragraph (i) of subsection (3), paragraph (c) 203
313	313	of subsection (5), paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection (16), 204
314	314	and subsection (21) of section 318.18, Florida Statutes, are 205
315	315	amended to read: 206
316	316	318.18 Amount of penalties.—The penalties required for a 207
317	317	noncriminal disposition pursuant to s. 318.14 or a criminal 208
318	318	offense listed in s. 318.17 are as follows: 209
319	319	(3) 210
320	320	(i) A person cited for a second or subsequent conviction 211
321	321	of speed exceeding the limit by 30 miles per hour and above 212
322	322	within a 12-month period shall pay a fine that is double the 213
323	323	amount listed in paragraph (b). For purposes of this paragraph, 214
324	324	the term "conviction" means a finding of guilt as a result of a 215
325	325	jury verdict, nonjury trial, or entry of a plea of guilt y. 216
326	326	Moneys received from the increased fine imposed by this 217
327	327	paragraph shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue and 218
328	328	deposited into the Department of Health First Responders 219
329	329	Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund to provide financial 220
330	330	support to certified trauma centers to assure the availability 221
331	331	and accessibility of trauma services throughout the state. Funds 222
332	332	deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 223
333	333	Trust Fund under this section shall be allocated as follows: 224
334	334	1. Fifty percent shall be allocated equally among all 225
335	335
336	336	HB 1591 2025
337	337
338	338
339	339
340	340	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
341	341	hb1591-00
342	342	Page 10 of 26
343	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
344	344
345	345
346	346
347	347	Level I, Level II, and pediatric trauma centers in recognition 226
348	348	of readiness costs for maintaining trauma services. 227
349	349	2. Fifty percent shall be allocated among Level I, Level 228
350	350	II, and pediatric trauma centers based on each cen ter's relative 229
351	351	volume of trauma cases as calculated using the hospital 230
352	352	discharge data collected pursuant to s. 408.061. 231
353	353	(5) 232
354	354	(c) In addition to the penalty under paragraph (a) or 233
355	355	paragraph (b), $130 $65 for a violation of s. 316.172(1)(a) or 234
356	356	(b). If the alleged offender is found to have committed the 235
357	357	offense, the court shall impose the civil penalty under 236
358	358	paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) plus an additional $130 $65. The 237
359	359	additional $130 $65 collected under this paragraph shall be 238
360	360	remitted to the Department o f Revenue for deposit into the First 239
361	361	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the 240
362	362	Department of Health to be used as provided in s. 395.4036. If a 241
363	363	violation of s. 316.172(1)(a) or (b) is enforced by a school bus 242
364	364	infraction detection system pursu ant to s. 316.173, the 243
365	365	additional amount imposed on a notice of violation, on a uniform 244
366	366	traffic citation, or by the court under this paragraph must be 245
367	367	$25, in lieu of the additional $130 $65, and must be remitted to 246
368	368	the participating school district and us ed pursuant to s. 247
369	369	316.173(7). 248
370	370	(16)(a)1. One hundred and ninety-three fifty-eight dollars 249
371	371	for a violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a 250
372	372
373	373	HB 1591 2025
374	374
375	375
376	376
377	377	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
378	378	hb1591-00
379	379	Page 11 of 26
380	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
381	381
382	382
383	383
384	384	driver has failed to stop at a traffic signal and when enforced 251
385	385	by a law enforcement officer. Sixty dol lars shall be distributed 252
386	386	as provided in s. 318.21, $30 shall be distributed to the 253
387	387	General Revenue Fund, $3 shall be remitted to the Department of 254
388	388	Revenue for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust 255
389	389	Fund, and the remaining $130 $65 shall be remitted to the 256
390	390	Department of Revenue for deposit into the First Responders 257
391	391	Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the Department of 258
392	392	Health. 259
393	393	2. One hundred and sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 260
394	394	violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver 261
395	395	has failed to stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by the 262
396	396	department's traffic infraction enforcement officer. One hundred 263
397	397	dollars shall be remitted to the Department of Re venue for 264
398	398	deposit into the General Revenue Fund, $45 shall be distributed 265
399	399	to the county for any violations occurring in any unincorporated 266
400	400	areas of the county or to the municipality for any violations 267
401	401	occurring in the incorporated boundaries of the municip ality in 268
402	402	which the infraction occurred, $20 $10 shall be remitted to the 269
403	403	Department of Revenue for deposit into the Department of Health 270
404	404	First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for 271
405	405	distribution as provided in s. 395.4036(1), and $3 shall be 272
406	406	remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain 273
407	407	and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund. 274
408	408	3. One hundred and sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 275
409	409
410	410	HB 1591 2025
411	411
412	412
413	413
414	414	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
415	415	hb1591-00
416	416	Page 12 of 26
417	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
418	418
419	419
420	420
421	421	violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver 276
422	422	has failed to stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by a 277
423	423	county's or municipality's traffic infraction enforcement 278
424	424	officer. Seventy-five dollars shall be distributed to the county 279
425	425	or municipality issuing the traffic citation, $70 shall be 280
426	426	remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the 281
427	427	General Revenue Fund, $20 $10 shall be remitted to the 282
428	428	Department of Revenue for deposit into the Department of Health 283
429	429	First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for 284
430	430	distribution as provided in s. 395.4036(1), and $3 shall be 285
431	431	remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain 286
432	432	and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund. 287
433	433	(e) Funds deposited into the Department of Health First 288
434	434	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under this 289
435	435	subsection shall be distributed as provided in s. 395.4036(1). 290
436	436	(21) In addition to any other penalty, $130 $65 for a 291
437	437	violation of s. 316.191, prohibiting racing on highways, street 292
438	438	takeovers, and stunt driving, or s. 316.192, prohibiting 293
439	439	reckless driving. The additional $130 $65 collected under this 294
440	440	subsection shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for 295
441	441	deposit into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 296
442	442	Trust Fund of the Department of Health to be used as provided in 297
443	443	s. 395.4036. 298
444	444	Section 7. Subsection (11) of section 20.435, Florida 299
445	445	Statutes, is amended to read: 300
446	446
447	447	HB 1591 2025
448	448
449	449
450	450
451	451	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
452	452	hb1591-00
453	453	Page 13 of 26
454	454	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
455	455
456	456
457	457
458	458	20.435 Department of Health; trust funds. —The following 301
459	459	trust funds shall be administered by the Department of Health: 302
460	460	(11) FIRST RESPONDERS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRUST 303
461	461	FUND.— 304
462	462	(a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund 305
463	463	shall be administered in accordance with ss. 318.14, 318.18, 306
464	464	318.21, 395.403, and 395.4036 and parts I and II of chapter 401. 307
465	465	(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and 308
466	466	pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end 309
467	467	of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of 310
468	468	the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of 311
469	469	the trust fund. 312
470	470	Section 8. Subsection (5) of section 316.306, Florida 313
471	471	Statutes, is amended to read: 314
472	472	316.306 School and work zones; prohibition on the use of a 315
473	473	wireless communications device in a handheld manner. — 316
474	474	(5) Notwithstanding s. 318.21, all proceeds collecte d 317
475	475	pursuant to s. 318.18 for violations of this section must be 318
476	476	remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the First 319
477	477	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the 320
478	478	Department of Health. 321
479	479	Section 9. Subsection (5) of section 318.14, F lorida 322
480	480	Statutes, is amended to read: 323
481	481	318.14 Noncriminal traffic infractions; exception; 324
482	482	procedures.— 325
483	483
484	484	HB 1591 2025
485	485
486	486
487	487
488	488	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
489	489	hb1591-00
490	490	Page 14 of 26
491	491	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
492	492
493	493
494	494
495	495	(5) Any person electing to appear before the designated 326
496	496	official or who is required to appear shall be deemed to have 327
497	497	waived his or her right to the ci vil penalty provisions of s. 328
498	498	318.18. The official, after a hearing, shall make a 329
499	499	determination as to whether an infraction has been committed. If 330
500	500	the commission of an infraction has been proven, the official 331
501	501	may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $500, e xcept that in 332
502	502	cases involving unlawful speed in a school zone or involving 333
503	503	unlawful speed in a construction zone, the civil penalty may not 334
504	504	exceed $1,000; or require attendance at a driver improvement 335
505	505	school, or both. If the person is required to appear be fore the 336
506	506	designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(1) and is found to 337
507	507	have committed the infraction, the designated official shall 338
508	508	impose a civil penalty of $1,000 in addition to any other 339
509	509	penalties and the person's driver license shall be suspended for 340
510	510	6 months. If the person is required to appear before the 341
511	511	designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(1) and is found to 342
512	512	have committed the infraction against a vulnerable road user as 343
513	513	defined in s. 316.027(1), the designated official shall impose a 344
514	514	civil penalty of not less than $5,000 in addition to any other 345
515	515	penalties, the person's driver license shall be suspended for 1 346
516	516	year, and the person shall be required to attend a department -347
517	517	approved driver improvement course relating to the rights of 348
518	518	vulnerable road users relative to vehicles on the roadway as 349
519	519	provided in s. 322.0261(2). If the person is required to appear 350
520	520
521	521	HB 1591 2025
522	522
523	523
524	524
525	525	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
526	526	hb1591-00
527	527	Page 15 of 26
528	528	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
529	529
530	530
531	531
532	532	before the designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(2) and is 351
533	533	found to have committed the infraction, the designated official 352
534	534	shall impose a civil penalty of $500 in addition to any other 353
535	535	penalties and the person's driver license shall be suspended for 354
536	536	3 months. If the person is required to appear before the 355
537	537	designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(2) and is found to 356
538	538	have committed the infraction ag ainst a vulnerable road user as 357
539	539	defined in s. 316.027(1), the designated official shall impose a 358
540	540	civil penalty of not less than $1,500 in addition to any other 359
541	541	penalties, the person's driver license shall be suspended for 3 360
542	542	months, and the person shall be required to attend a department -361
543	543	approved driver improvement course relating to the rights of 362
544	544	vulnerable road users relative to vehicles on the roadway as 363
545	545	provided in s. 322.0261(2). If the official determines that no 364
546	546	infraction has been committed, no costs or penalties shall be 365
547	547	imposed and any costs or penalties that have been paid shall be 366
548	548	returned. Moneys received from the mandatory civil penalties 367
549	549	imposed pursuant to this subsection upon persons required to 368
550	550	appear before a designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(1) or 369
551	551	(2) shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue and deposited 370
552	552	into the Department of Health First Responders Emergency Medical 371
553	553	Services Trust Fund to provide financial support to certified 372
554	554	trauma centers to assure the availability and a ccessibility of 373
555	555	trauma services throughout the state. Funds deposited into the 374
556	556	First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under 375
557	557
558	558	HB 1591 2025
559	559
560	560
561	561
562	562	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
563	563	hb1591-00
564	564	Page 16 of 26
565	565	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
566	566
567	567
568	568
569	569	this section shall be allocated as follows: 376
570	570	(a) Fifty percent shall be allocated equally among all 377
571	571	Level I, Level II, and pediatric trauma centers in recognition 378
572	572	of readiness costs for maintaining trauma services. 379
573	573	(b) Fifty percent shall be allocated among Level I, Level 380
574	574	II, and pediatric trauma centers based on each center's relative 381
575	575	volume of trauma cases as calcu lated using the hospital 382
576	576	discharge data collected pursuant to s. 408.061. 383
577	577	Section 10. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsection 384
578	578	(15) of section 318.21, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 385
579	579	318.21 Disposition of civil penalties by county courts .—386
580	580	All civil penalties received by a county court pursuant to the 387
581	581	provisions of this chapter shall be distributed and paid monthly 388
582	582	as follows: 389
583	583	(2) Of the remainder: 390
584	584	(b) Seven and two-tenths percent shall be remitted to the 391
585	585	Department of Revenue for depo sit in the First Responders 392
586	586	Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for the purposes set forth 393
587	587	in s. 401.113. 394
588	588	(15) Of the additional fine assessed under s. 318.18(3)(f) 395
589	589	for a violation of s. 316.1893, 50 percent of the moneys 396
590	590	received from the fines shall be appropriated to the Agency for 397
591	591	Health Care Administration as general revenue to provide an 398
592	592	enhanced Medicaid payment to nursing homes that serve Medicaid 399
593	593	recipients with brain and spinal cord injuries. The remaining 50 400
594	594
595	595	HB 1591 2025
596	596
597	597
598	598
599	599	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
600	600	hb1591-00
601	601	Page 17 of 26
602	602	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
603	603
604	604
605	605
606	606	percent of the moneys received fro m the enhanced fine imposed 401
607	607	under s. 318.18(3)(f) shall be remitted to the Department of 402
608	608	Revenue and deposited into the Department of Health First 403
609	609	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund to provide 404
610	610	financial support to certified trauma centers in the counties 405
611	611	where enhanced penalty zones are established to ensure the 406
612	612	availability and accessibility of trauma services. Funds 407
613	613	deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 408
614	614	Trust Fund under this subsection shall be allocated as follows: 409
615	615	(a) Fifty percent shall be allocated equally among all 410
616	616	Level I, Level II, and pediatric trauma centers in recognition 411
617	617	of readiness costs for maintaining trauma services. 412
618	618	(b) Fifty percent shall be allocated among Level I, Level 413
619	619	II, and pediatric trauma centers based on each center's relative 414
620	620	volume of trauma cases as calculated using the hospital 415
621	621	discharge data collected pursuant to s. 408.061. 416
622	622	Section 11. Subsection (1) of section 320.0801, Florida 417
623	623	Statutes, is amended to read: 418
624	624	320.0801 Additional license tax on certain vehicles. — 419
625	625	(1) In addition to the license taxes specified in s. 420
626	626	320.08 and in subsection (2), there is hereby levied and imposed 421
627	627	an annual license tax of 10 cents for the operation of a motor 422
628	628	vehicle, as defined in s. 320.01, and moped, as defined in s. 423
629	629	316.003, which tax shall be paid to the department or its agent 424
630	630	upon the registration or renewal of registration of the vehicle. 425
631	631
632	632	HB 1591 2025
633	633
634	634
635	635
636	636	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
637	637	hb1591-00
638	638	Page 18 of 26
639	639	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
640	640
641	641
642	642
643	643	Notwithstanding s. 320.20, revenues collected from the tax 426
644	644	imposed in this subsection shall be deposit ed in the First 427
645	645	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund and used solely 428
646	646	for the purpose of carrying out ss. 395.401, 395.4015, 395.404, 429
647	647	and 395.4045 and s. 11, chapter 87 -399, Laws of Florida. 430
648	648	Section 12. Paragraph (b) of subsection (118) of s ection 431
649	649	320.08058, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 432
650	650	320.08058 Specialty license plates. — 433
651	651	(118) SUPPORT HEALTHCARE HEROES LICENSE PLATES. — 434
652	652	(b) The annual use fees from the sale of the plate shall 435
653	653	be distributed annually into the First Responders Emergency 436
654	654	Medical Services Trust Fund within the Department of Health to 437
655	655	provide financial support for prehospital emergency medical 438
656	656	services pursuant to s. 401.113. 439
657	657	Section 13. Subsection (3) of section 395.401, Florida 440
658	658	Statutes, is amended to read: 441
659	659	395.401 Trauma services system plans; approval of trauma 442
660	660	centers and pediatric trauma centers; procedures; renewal. — 443
661	661	(3) The department may withdraw local or regional agency 444
662	662	authority, prescribe corrective actions, or use the 445
663	663	administrative remedies as provided in s. 395.1065 for the 446
664	664	violation of any provision of this section and ss. 395.4015, 447
665	665	395.402, 395.4025, 395.403, 395.404, and 395.4045 or rules 448
666	666	adopted thereunder. All amounts collected pursuant to this 449
667	667	subsection shall be deposited into the First Responders 450
668	668
669	669	HB 1591 2025
670	670
671	671
672	672
673	673	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
674	674	hb1591-00
675	675	Page 19 of 26
676	676	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
677	677
678	678
679	679
680	680	Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund provided in s. 401.34. 451
681	681	Section 14. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 395.403, 452
682	682	Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 453
683	683	395.403 Reimbursement of trauma centers. — 454
684	684	(1) All verified trauma centers shall b e considered 455
685	685	eligible to receive state funding when state funds are 456
686	686	specifically appropriated for state -sponsored trauma centers in 457
687	687	the General Appropriations Act. Effective July 1, 2010, The 458
688	688	department shall make payments from the First Responders 459
689	689	Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under s. 20.435 to the 460
690	690	trauma centers. Payments shall be in equal amounts for the 461
691	691	trauma centers approved by the department as of July 1 of the 462
692	692	fiscal year in which funding is appropriated. In the event a 463
693	693	trauma center does n ot maintain its status as a trauma center 464
694	694	for any state fiscal year in which such funding is appropriated, 465
695	695	the trauma center shall repay the state for the portion of the 466
696	696	year during which it was not a trauma center. 467
697	697	(2) Trauma centers eligible to receive distributions from 468
698	698	the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under 469
699	699	s. 20.435 in accordance with subsection (1) may request that 470
700	700	such funds be used as intergovernmental transfer funds in the 471
701	701	Medicaid program. 472
702	702	Section 15. Subsections (1 ) and (2) of section 395.4036, 473
703	703	Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 474
704	704	395.4036 Trauma payments. — 475
705	705
706	706	HB 1591 2025
707	707
708	708
709	709
710	710	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
711	711	hb1591-00
712	712	Page 20 of 26
713	713	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
714	714
715	715
716	716
717	717	(1) Recognizing the Legislature's stated intent to provide 476
718	718	financial support to the current verified trauma centers and to 477
719	719	provide incentives for the estab lishment of additional trauma 478
720	720	centers as part of a system of state -sponsored trauma centers, 479
721	721	the department shall utilize funds collected under s. 318.18 and 480
722	722	deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 481
723	723	Trust Fund of the department to ens ure the availability and 482
724	724	accessibility of trauma services throughout the state as 483
725	725	provided in this subsection. 484
726	726	(a) Funds collected under s. 318.18(16) shall be 485
727	727	distributed as follows: 486
728	728	1. Twenty percent of the total funds collected during the 487
729	729	state fiscal year shall be distributed to verified trauma 488
730	730	centers that have a local funding contribution as of December 489
731	731	31. Distribution of funds under this subparagraph shall be based 490
732	732	on trauma caseload volume for the most recent calendar year 491
733	733	available. 492
734	734	2. Forty percent of the total funds collected shall be 493
735	735	distributed to verified trauma centers based on trauma caseload 494
736	736	volume for the most recent calendar year available. The 495
737	737	determination of caseload volume for distribution of funds under 496
738	738	this subparagraph shall be based on the hospital discharge data 497
739	739	for patients who meet the criteria for classification as a 498
740	740	trauma patient reported by each trauma center pursuant to s. 499
741	741	408.061. 500
742	742
743	743	HB 1591 2025
744	744
745	745
746	746
747	747	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
748	748	hb1591-00
749	749	Page 21 of 26
750	750	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
751	751
752	752
753	753
754	754	3. Forty percent of the total funds collected shall be 501
755	755	distributed to verified trauma centers based on severity of 502
756	756	trauma patients for the most recent calendar year available. The 503
757	757	determination of severity for distribution of funds under this 504
758	758	subparagraph shall be based on the department's International 505
759	759	Classification Injury Severity Score s or another statistically 506
760	760	valid and scientifically accepted method of stratifying a trauma 507
761	761	patient's severity of injury, risk of mortality, and resource 508
762	762	consumption as adopted by the department by rule, weighted based 509
763	763	on the costs associated with and incu rred by the trauma center 510
764	764	in treating trauma patients. The weighting of scores shall be 511
765	765	established by the department by rule. 512
766	766	(b) Funds collected under s. 318.18(5)(c) and (21) shall 513
767	767	be distributed as follows: 514
768	768	1. Thirty percent of the total funds coll ected shall be 515
769	769	distributed to Level II trauma centers operated by a public 516
770	770	hospital governed by an elected board of directors as of 517
771	771	December 31, 2008. 518
772	772	2. Thirty-five percent of the total funds collected shall 519
773	773	be distributed to verified trauma centers bas ed on trauma 520
774	774	caseload volume for the most recent calendar year available. The 521
775	775	determination of caseload volume for distribution of funds under 522
776	776	this subparagraph shall be based on the hospital discharge data 523
777	777	for patients who meet the criteria for classifica tion as a 524
778	778	trauma patient reported by each trauma center pursuant to s. 525
779	779
780	780	HB 1591 2025
781	781
782	782
783	783
784	784	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
785	785	hb1591-00
786	786	Page 22 of 26
787	787	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
788	788
789	789
790	790
791	791	408.061. 526
792	792	3. Thirty-five percent of the total funds collected shall 527
793	793	be distributed to verified trauma centers based on severity of 528
794	794	trauma patients for the most recent calendar year ava ilable. The 529
795	795	determination of severity for distribution of funds under this 530
796	796	subparagraph shall be based on the department's International 531
797	797	Classification Injury Severity Scores or another statistically 532
798	798	valid and scientifically accepted method of stratifying a trauma 533
799	799	patient's severity of injury, risk of mortality, and resource 534
800	800	consumption as adopted by the department by rule, weighted based 535
801	801	on the costs associated with and incurred by the trauma center 536
802	802	in treating trauma patients. The weighting of scores shal l be 537
803	803	established by the department by rule. 538
804	804	(2) Funds deposited in the department's First Responders 539
805	805	Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for verified trauma 540
806	806	centers may be used to maximize the receipt of federal funds 541
807	807	that may be available for such tra uma centers. Notwithstanding 542
808	808	this section and s. 318.14, distributions to trauma centers may 543
809	809	be adjusted in a manner to ensure that total payments to trauma 544
810	810	centers represent the same proportional allocation as set forth 545
811	811	in this section and s. 318.14. For purposes of this section and 546
812	812	s. 318.14, total funds distributed to trauma centers may include 547
813	813	revenue from the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 548
814	814	Trust Fund and federal funds for which revenue from the 549
815	815	Administrative Trust Fund is used to meet sta te or local 550
816	816
817	817	HB 1591 2025
818	818
819	819
820	820
821	821	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
822	822	hb1591-00
823	823	Page 23 of 26
824	824	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
825	825
826	826
827	827
828	828	matching requirements. Funds collected under ss. 318.14 and 551
829	829	318.18 and deposited in the First Responders Emergency Medical 552
830	830	Services Trust Fund of the department shall be distributed to 553
831	831	trauma centers on a quarterly basis using the most recent 554
832	832	calendar year data available. Such data shall not be used for 555
833	833	more than four quarterly distributions unless there are 556
834	834	extenuating circumstances as determined by the department, in 557
835	835	which case the most recent calendar year data available shall 558
836	836	continue to be used and appropriate adjustments shall be made as 559
837	837	soon as the more recent data becomes available. 560
838	838	Section 16. Subsection (2) of section 401.2715, Florida 561
839	839	Statutes, is amended to read: 562
840	840	401.2715 Recertification training of emergency medical 563
841	841	technicians and paramedics.— 564
842	842	(2) Any individual, institution, school, corporation, or 565
843	843	governmental entity may conduct emergency medical technician or 566
844	844	paramedic recertification training upon application to the 567
845	845	department and payment of a nonrefundable fee to be depo sited 568
846	846	into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund. 569
847	847	Institutions conducting department -approved educational programs 570
848	848	as provided in this chapter and licensed ambulance services are 571
849	849	exempt from the application process and payment of fees. The 572
850	850	department shall adopt rules for the application and payment of 573
851	851	a fee not to exceed the actual cost of administering this 574
852	852	approval process. 575
853	853
854	854	HB 1591 2025
855	855
856	856
857	857
858	858	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
859	859	hb1591-00
860	860	Page 24 of 26
861	861	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
862	862
863	863
864	864
865	865	Section 17. Subsection (1) of section 401.34, Florida 576
866	866	Statutes, is amended to read: 577
867	867	401.34 Fees.— 578
868	868	(1) Each organization subject to this part must pay to the 579
869	869	department the following nonrefundable fees, and these fees must 580
870	870	be deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical 581
871	871	Services Trust Fund to be applied solely for salaries and 582
872	872	expenses of the depart ment incurred in implementing and 583
873	873	enforcing this part: 584
874	874	(a) Basic life support service license application: $660, 585
875	875	to be paid biennially. 586
876	876	(b) Advanced life support service license application: 587
877	877	$1,375, to be paid biennially. 588
878	878	(c) Original or renewal vehicle permit application for 589
879	879	basic or advanced life support: $25, to be paid biennially. 590
880	880	(d) Air ambulance service application: $1,375, to be paid 591
881	881	biennially. 592
882	882	(e) Original or renewal aircraft permit application for 593
883	883	air ambulance: $25, to be paid bien nially. 594
884	884	Section 18. Subsection (8) of section 401.411, Florida 595
885	885	Statutes, is amended to read: 596
886	886	401.411 Disciplinary action; penalties. — 597
887	887	(8) All amounts collected under this section must be 598
888	888	deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical Service s 599
889	889	Trust Fund. 600
890	890
891	891	HB 1591 2025
892	892
893	893
894	894
895	895	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
896	896	hb1591-00
897	897	Page 25 of 26
898	898	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
899	899
900	900
901	901
902	902	Section 19. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 601
903	903	401.421, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 602
904	904	401.421 Injunctive relief; cease and desist notice; civil 603
905	905	penalty; enforcement. — 604
906	906	(2) 605
907	907	(b) In addition to or in lieu of any remedy pr ovided in 606
908	908	paragraph (a), the department may seek the imposition of a civil 607
909	909	penalty by the circuit court for any violation for which the 608
910	910	department may issue a notice to cease and desist under 609
911	911	paragraph (a). The civil penalty must be no less than $500 and 610
912	912	no more than $5,000 for each offense. The court may, in addition 611
913	913	to any other remedy it finds appropriate, award to the 612
914	914	prevailing party court costs and a reasonable attorney's fee, 613
915	915	and, if the department prevails, the court may also award 614
916	916	reasonable costs of investigation. All amounts collected by the 615
917	917	department under this paragraph must be deposited into the First 616
918	918	Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund. 617
919	919	Section 20. Paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section 618
920	920	401.465, Florida Statutes, is amend ed to read: 619
921	921	401.465 911 public safety telecommunicator certification. — 620
922	922	(4) FEES.— 621
923	923	(e) Fees collected under this section shall be deposited 622
924	924	into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund 623
925	925	and used solely for salaries and expenses of th e department 624
926	926	incurred in administering this section. 625
927	927
928	928	HB 1591 2025
929	929
930	930
931	931
932	932	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
933	933	hb1591-00
934	934	Page 26 of 26
935	935	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
936	936
937	937
938	938
939	939	Section 21. Section 938.07, Florida Statutes, is amended 626
940	940	to read: 627
941	941	938.07 Driving or boating under the influence. —628
942	942	Notwithstanding any other provision of s. 316.193 or s. 327.35, 629
943	943	a court cost of $135 shall be added to any fine imposed pursuant 630
944	944	to s. 316.193 or s. 327.35. The clerks shall remit the funds to 631
945	945	the Department of Revenue, $25 of which shall be deposited in 632
946	946	the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund, $50 633
947	947	shall be deposited in the Operating Trust Fund of the Department 634
948	948	of Law Enforcement to be used for operational expenses in 635
949	949	conducting the statewide criminal analysis laboratory system 636
950	950	established in s. 943.32, and $60 shall be deposited in the 637
951	951	Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program Trust Fund created in s. 638
952	952	381.79. 639
953	953	Section 22. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025. 640