Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1750 By Senator Arrington 25-01563A-25 20251750__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to first responders; amending s. 3 401.113, F.S.; providing that funds in the First 4 Responders Trust Fund may be used for grants to 5 support first responder mental health; amending s. 6 401.345, F.S.; renaming the Emergency Medical Services 7 Trust Fund as the First Responders Trust Fund; 8 amending ss. 316.0083, 316.061, 316.192, and 318.18, 9 F.S.; revising the amount of fines for certain traffic 10 violations to increase the amount of funding for the 11 First Responders Trust Fund; amending ss. 20.435, 12 316.306, 318.14, 318.21, 320.0801, 320.08058, 395.401, 13 395.403, 395.4036, 401.2715, 401.34, 401.411, 401.421, 14 401.465, and 938.07, F.S.; conforming provisions to 15 changes made by the act; providing an effective date. 16 17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18 19 Section 1.Section 401.113, Florida Statutes, is amended to 20 read: 21 401.113Department; powers and duties. 22 (1)Funds deposited into the First Responders Emergency 23 Medical Services Trust Fund as provided by ss. 316.061, 316.192, 24 318.21, and 938.07 must be used solely to improve and expand 25 prehospital emergency medical services in the state. 26 (2)The department shall annually dispense funds contained 27 in the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund as 28 follows: 29 (a)Forty-five percent of such moneys must be divided among 30 the counties according to the proportion of the combined amount 31 deposited in the trust fund from the county. These funds may not 32 be used to match grant funds as identified in paragraph (b). An 33 individual board of county commissioners may distribute these 34 funds to emergency medical services organizations and youth 35 athletic organizations within the county, as it deems 36 appropriate. 37 (b)Forty percent of such moneys must be used by the 38 department for making matching grants to local agencies, 39 municipalities, emergency medical services organizations, and 40 youth athletic organizations for the purpose of conducting 41 research, increasing existing levels of emergency medical 42 services, evaluation, community education, injury-prevention 43 programs, and training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 44 other lifesaving and first aid techniques, and first responder 45 mental health. 46 1.At least 90 percent of these moneys must be made 47 available on a cash matching basis. A grant made under this 48 subparagraph must be contingent upon the recipient providing a 49 cash sum equal to 25 percent of the total department-approved 50 grant amount. 51 2.No more than 10 percent of these moneys must be made 52 available to rural emergency medical services, and 53 notwithstanding the restrictions specified in subsection (1), 54 these moneys may be used for improvement, expansion, or 55 continuation of services provided. A grant made under this 56 subparagraph must be contingent upon the recipient providing a 57 cash sum equal to no more than 10 percent of the total 58 department-approved grant amount. 59 60 The department shall develop procedures and standards for grant 61 disbursement under this paragraph based on the need for 62 emergency medical services, the requirements of the population 63 to be served, and the objectives of the state emergency medical 64 services plan. 65 (c)Fifteen percent of such moneys must be used by the 66 department for capital equipment outlay, personnel, community 67 education, evaluation, and other costs associated with the 68 administration of this chapter. Any moneys not annually used for 69 this purpose must be used for making additional rural grant 70 funds available. 71 Section 2.Section 401.345, Florida Statutes, is amended to 72 read: 73 401.345First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust 74 Fund. 75 (1)There is created the First Responders Emergency Medical 76 Services Trust Fund in the State Treasury, which shall be used 77 exclusively for those purposes provided by law. 78 (2)Any funds appropriated in the General Appropriations 79 Act for functions related to emergency medical services, and any 80 other funds that become available for functions related to 81 emergency medical services, must be deposited in the First 82 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund. 83 Section 3.Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 84 316.0083, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 85 316.0083Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program; 86 administration; report. 87 (1) 88 (b)1.a.Within 30 days after a violation, notification must 89 be sent to the registered owner of the motor vehicle involved in 90 the violation specifying the remedies available under s. 318.14 91 and that the violator must pay the penalty of $158 to the 92 department, county, or municipality, or furnish an affidavit in 93 accordance with paragraph (d), or request a hearing within 60 94 days following the date of the notification in order to avoid 95 the issuance of a traffic citation. The notification must be 96 sent by first-class mail. The mailing of the notice of violation 97 constitutes notification. 98 b.Included with the notification to the registered owner 99 of the motor vehicle involved in the infraction must be a notice 100 that the owner has the right to review the photographic or 101 electronic images or the streaming video evidence that 102 constitutes a rebuttable presumption against the owner of the 103 vehicle. The notice must state the time and place or Internet 104 location where the evidence may be examined and observed. 105 c.Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who 106 receives a notice of violation under this section may request a 107 hearing within 60 days following the notification of violation 108 or pay the penalty pursuant to the notice of violation, but a 109 payment or fee may not be required before the hearing requested 110 by the person. The notice of violation must be accompanied by, 111 or direct the person to a website that provides, information on 112 the persons right to request a hearing and on all court costs 113 related thereto and a form to request a hearing. As used in this 114 sub-subparagraph, the term person includes a natural person, 115 registered owner or co-owner of a motor vehicle, or person 116 identified on an affidavit as having care, custody, or control 117 of the motor vehicle at the time of the violation. 118 d.If the registered owner or co-owner of the motor 119 vehicle, or the person designated as having care, custody, or 120 control of the motor vehicle at the time of the violation, or an 121 authorized representative of the owner, co-owner, or designated 122 person, initiates a proceeding to challenge the violation 123 pursuant to this paragraph, such person waives any challenge or 124 dispute as to the delivery of the notice of violation. 125 2.Penalties assessed and collected by the department, 126 county, or municipality authorized to collect the funds provided 127 for in this paragraph, less the amount retained by the county or 128 municipality pursuant to subparagraph 3., shall be paid to the 129 Department of Revenue weekly. Payment by the department, county, 130 or municipality to the state shall be made by means of 131 electronic funds transfers. In addition to the payment, summary 132 detail of the penalties remitted shall be reported to the 133 Department of Revenue. 134 3.Penalties to be assessed and collected by the 135 department, county, or municipality are as follows: 136 a.One hundred sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 137 violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver 138 failed to stop at a traffic signal if enforcement is by the 139 departments traffic infraction enforcement officer. One hundred 140 dollars shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for 141 deposit into the General Revenue Fund, $20 $10 shall be remitted 142 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Department of 143 Health First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund, 144 $3 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit 145 into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund, and $45 shall 146 be distributed to the municipality in which the violation 147 occurred, or, if the violation occurred in an unincorporated 148 area, to the county in which the violation occurred. Funds 149 deposited into the Department of Health First Responders 150 Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under this sub 151 subparagraph shall be distributed as provided in s. 395.4036(1). 152 Proceeds of the infractions in the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury 153 Trust Fund shall be distributed quarterly to the Miami Project 154 to Cure Paralysis and used for brain and spinal cord research. 155 b.One hundred sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 156 violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver 157 failed to stop at a traffic signal if enforcement is by a county 158 or municipal traffic infraction enforcement officer. Seventy 159 dollars shall be remitted by the county or municipality to the 160 Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, 161 $20 $10 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for 162 deposit into the Department of Health First Responders Emergency 163 Medical Services Trust Fund, $3 shall be remitted to the 164 Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord 165 Injury Trust Fund, and $75 shall be retained by the county or 166 municipality enforcing the ordinance enacted pursuant to this 167 section. Funds deposited into the Department of Health First 168 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under this sub 169 subparagraph shall be distributed as provided in s. 395.4036(1). 170 Proceeds of the infractions in the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury 171 Trust Fund shall be distributed quarterly to the Miami Project 172 to Cure Paralysis and used for brain and spinal cord research. 173 4.An individual may not receive a commission from any 174 revenue collected from violations detected through the use of a 175 traffic infraction detector. A manufacturer or vendor may not 176 receive a fee or remuneration based upon the number of 177 violations detected through the use of a traffic infraction 178 detector. 179 Section 4.Subsection (1) of section 316.061, Florida 180 Statutes, is amended to read: 181 316.061Crashes involving damage to vehicle or property. 182 (1)The driver of any vehicle involved in a crash resulting 183 only in damage to a vehicle or other property which is driven or 184 attended by any person shall immediately stop such vehicle at 185 the scene of such crash or as close thereto as possible, and 186 shall forthwith return to, and in every event shall remain at, 187 the scene of the crash until he or she has fulfilled the 188 requirements of s. 316.062. A person who violates this 189 subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, 190 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 191 Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, $10 $5 192 shall be added to a fine imposed pursuant to this section, which 193 $10 $5 shall be deposited in the First Responders Emergency 194 Medical Services Trust Fund. 195 Section 5.Subsection (4) of section 316.192, Florida 196 Statutes, is amended to read: 197 316.192Reckless driving. 198 (4)Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, 199 $10 $5 shall be added to a fine imposed pursuant to this 200 section. The clerk shall remit the $10 $5 to the Department of 201 Revenue for deposit in the First Responders Emergency Medical 202 Services Trust Fund. 203 Section 6.Paragraph (i) of subsection (3), paragraph (c) 204 of subsection (5), paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection (16), 205 and subsection (21) of section 318.18, Florida Statutes, are 206 amended to read: 207 318.18Amount of penalties.The penalties required for a 208 noncriminal disposition pursuant to s. 318.14 or a criminal 209 offense listed in s. 318.17 are as follows: 210 (3) 211 (i)A person cited for a second or subsequent conviction of 212 speed exceeding the limit by 30 miles per hour and above within 213 a 12-month period shall pay a fine that is double the amount 214 listed in paragraph (b). For purposes of this paragraph, the 215 term conviction means a finding of guilt as a result of a jury 216 verdict, nonjury trial, or entry of a plea of guilty. Moneys 217 received from the increased fine imposed by this paragraph shall 218 be remitted to the Department of Revenue and deposited into the 219 Department of Health First Responders Emergency Medical Services 220 Trust Fund to provide financial support to certified trauma 221 centers to assure the availability and accessibility of trauma 222 services throughout the state. Funds deposited into the First 223 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under this 224 section shall be allocated as follows: 225 1.Fifty percent shall be allocated equally among all Level 226 I, Level II, and pediatric trauma centers in recognition of 227 readiness costs for maintaining trauma services. 228 2.Fifty percent shall be allocated among Level I, Level 229 II, and pediatric trauma centers based on each centers relative 230 volume of trauma cases as calculated using the hospital 231 discharge data collected pursuant to s. 408.061. 232 (5) 233 (c)In addition to the penalty under paragraph (a) or 234 paragraph (b), $130 $65 for a violation of s. 316.172(1)(a) or 235 (b). If the alleged offender is found to have committed the 236 offense, the court shall impose the civil penalty under 237 paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) plus an additional $130 $65. The 238 additional $130 $65 collected under this paragraph shall be 239 remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the First 240 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the 241 Department of Health to be used as provided in s. 395.4036. If a 242 violation of s. 316.172(1)(a) or (b) is enforced by a school bus 243 infraction detection system pursuant to s. 316.173, the 244 additional amount imposed on a notice of violation, on a uniform 245 traffic citation, or by the court under this paragraph must be 246 $25, in lieu of the additional $130 $65, and must be remitted to 247 the participating school district and used pursuant to s. 248 316.173(7). 249 (16)(a)1.One hundred and ninety-three fifty-eight dollars 250 for a violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a 251 driver has failed to stop at a traffic signal and when enforced 252 by a law enforcement officer. Sixty dollars shall be distributed 253 as provided in s. 318.21, $30 shall be distributed to the 254 General Revenue Fund, $3 shall be remitted to the Department of 255 Revenue for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust 256 Fund, and the remaining $130 $65 shall be remitted to the 257 Department of Revenue for deposit into the First Responders 258 Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the Department of 259 Health. 260 2.One hundred and sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 261 violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver 262 has failed to stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by the 263 departments traffic infraction enforcement officer. One hundred 264 dollars shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for 265 deposit into the General Revenue Fund, $45 shall be distributed 266 to the county for any violations occurring in any unincorporated 267 areas of the county or to the municipality for any violations 268 occurring in the incorporated boundaries of the municipality in 269 which the infraction occurred, $20 $10 shall be remitted to the 270 Department of Revenue for deposit into the Department of Health 271 First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for 272 distribution as provided in s. 395.4036(1), and $3 shall be 273 remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain 274 and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund. 275 3.One hundred and sixty-eight fifty-eight dollars for a 276 violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver 277 has failed to stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by a 278 countys or municipalitys traffic infraction enforcement 279 officer. Seventy-five dollars shall be distributed to the county 280 or municipality issuing the traffic citation, $70 shall be 281 remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the 282 General Revenue Fund, $20 $10 shall be remitted to the 283 Department of Revenue for deposit into the Department of Health 284 First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for 285 distribution as provided in s. 395.4036(1), and $3 shall be 286 remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain 287 and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund. 288 (e)Funds deposited into the Department of Health First 289 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under this 290 subsection shall be distributed as provided in s. 395.4036(1). 291 (21)In addition to any other penalty, $130 $65 for a 292 violation of s. 316.191, prohibiting racing on highways, street 293 takeovers, and stunt driving, or s. 316.192, prohibiting 294 reckless driving. The additional $130 $65 collected under this 295 subsection shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for 296 deposit into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 297 Trust Fund of the Department of Health to be used as provided in 298 s. 395.4036. 299 Section 7.Subsection (11) of section 20.435, Florida 300 Statutes, is amended to read: 301 20.435Department of Health; trust funds.The following 302 trust funds shall be administered by the Department of Health: 303 (11)FIRST RESPONDERS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRUST 304 FUND. 305 (a)Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund 306 shall be administered in accordance with ss. 318.14, 318.18, 307 318.21, 395.403, and 395.4036 and parts I and II of chapter 401. 308 (b)Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and 309 pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end 310 of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of 311 the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of 312 the trust fund. 313 Section 8.Subsection (5) of section 316.306, Florida 314 Statutes, is amended to read: 315 316.306School and work zones; prohibition on the use of a 316 wireless communications device in a handheld manner. 317 (5)Notwithstanding s. 318.21, all proceeds collected 318 pursuant to s. 318.18 for violations of this section must be 319 remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the First 320 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the 321 Department of Health. 322 Section 9.Subsection (5) of section 318.14, Florida 323 Statutes, is amended to read: 324 318.14Noncriminal traffic infractions; exception; 325 procedures. 326 (5)Any person electing to appear before the designated 327 official or who is required to appear shall be deemed to have 328 waived his or her right to the civil penalty provisions of s. 329 318.18. The official, after a hearing, shall make a 330 determination as to whether an infraction has been committed. If 331 the commission of an infraction has been proven, the official 332 may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $500, except that in 333 cases involving unlawful speed in a school zone or involving 334 unlawful speed in a construction zone, the civil penalty may not 335 exceed $1,000; or require attendance at a driver improvement 336 school, or both. If the person is required to appear before the 337 designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(1) and is found to 338 have committed the infraction, the designated official shall 339 impose a civil penalty of $1,000 in addition to any other 340 penalties and the persons driver license shall be suspended for 341 6 months. If the person is required to appear before the 342 designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(1) and is found to 343 have committed the infraction against a vulnerable road user as 344 defined in s. 316.027(1), the designated official shall impose a 345 civil penalty of not less than $5,000 in addition to any other 346 penalties, the persons driver license shall be suspended for 1 347 year, and the person shall be required to attend a department 348 approved driver improvement course relating to the rights of 349 vulnerable road users relative to vehicles on the roadway as 350 provided in s. 322.0261(2). If the person is required to appear 351 before the designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(2) and is 352 found to have committed the infraction, the designated official 353 shall impose a civil penalty of $500 in addition to any other 354 penalties and the persons driver license shall be suspended for 355 3 months. If the person is required to appear before the 356 designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(2) and is found to 357 have committed the infraction against a vulnerable road user as 358 defined in s. 316.027(1), the designated official shall impose a 359 civil penalty of not less than $1,500 in addition to any other 360 penalties, the persons driver license shall be suspended for 3 361 months, and the person shall be required to attend a department 362 approved driver improvement course relating to the rights of 363 vulnerable road users relative to vehicles on the roadway as 364 provided in s. 322.0261(2). If the official determines that no 365 infraction has been committed, no costs or penalties shall be 366 imposed and any costs or penalties that have been paid shall be 367 returned. Moneys received from the mandatory civil penalties 368 imposed pursuant to this subsection upon persons required to 369 appear before a designated official pursuant to s. 318.19(1) or 370 (2) shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue and deposited 371 into the Department of Health First Responders Emergency Medical 372 Services Trust Fund to provide financial support to certified 373 trauma centers to assure the availability and accessibility of 374 trauma services throughout the state. Funds deposited into the 375 First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under 376 this section shall be allocated as follows: 377 (a)Fifty percent shall be allocated equally among all 378 Level I, Level II, and pediatric trauma centers in recognition 379 of readiness costs for maintaining trauma services. 380 (b)Fifty percent shall be allocated among Level I, Level 381 II, and pediatric trauma centers based on each centers relative 382 volume of trauma cases as calculated using the hospital 383 discharge data collected pursuant to s. 408.061. 384 Section 10.Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsection 385 (15) of section 318.21, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 386 318.21Disposition of civil penalties by county courts.All 387 civil penalties received by a county court pursuant to the 388 provisions of this chapter shall be distributed and paid monthly 389 as follows: 390 (2)Of the remainder: 391 (b)Seven and two-tenths percent shall be remitted to the 392 Department of Revenue for deposit in the First Responders 393 Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for the purposes set forth 394 in s. 401.113. 395 (15)Of the additional fine assessed under s. 318.18(3)(f) 396 for a violation of s. 316.1893, 50 percent of the moneys 397 received from the fines shall be appropriated to the Agency for 398 Health Care Administration as general revenue to provide an 399 enhanced Medicaid payment to nursing homes that serve Medicaid 400 recipients with brain and spinal cord injuries. The remaining 50 401 percent of the moneys received from the enhanced fine imposed 402 under s. 318.18(3)(f) shall be remitted to the Department of 403 Revenue and deposited into the Department of Health First 404 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund to provide 405 financial support to certified trauma centers in the counties 406 where enhanced penalty zones are established to ensure the 407 availability and accessibility of trauma services. Funds 408 deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 409 Trust Fund under this subsection shall be allocated as follows: 410 (a)Fifty percent shall be allocated equally among all 411 Level I, Level II, and pediatric trauma centers in recognition 412 of readiness costs for maintaining trauma services. 413 (b)Fifty percent shall be allocated among Level I, Level 414 II, and pediatric trauma centers based on each centers relative 415 volume of trauma cases as calculated using the hospital 416 discharge data collected pursuant to s. 408.061. 417 Section 11.Subsection (1) of section 320.0801, Florida 418 Statutes, is amended to read: 419 320.0801Additional license tax on certain vehicles. 420 (1)In addition to the license taxes specified in s. 320.08 421 and in subsection (2), there is hereby levied and imposed an 422 annual license tax of 10 cents for the operation of a motor 423 vehicle, as defined in s. 320.01, and moped, as defined in s. 424 316.003, which tax shall be paid to the department or its agent 425 upon the registration or renewal of registration of the vehicle. 426 Notwithstanding s. 320.20, revenues collected from the tax 427 imposed in this subsection shall be deposited in the First 428 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund and used solely 429 for the purpose of carrying out ss. 395.401, 395.4015, 395.404, 430 and 395.4045 and s. 11, chapter 87-399, Laws of Florida. 431 Section 12.Paragraph (b) of subsection (118) of section 432 320.08058, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 433 320.08058Specialty license plates. 434 (118)SUPPORT HEALTHCARE HEROES LICENSE PLATES. 435 (b)The annual use fees from the sale of the plate shall be 436 distributed annually into the First Responders Emergency Medical 437 Services Trust Fund within the Department of Health to provide 438 financial support for prehospital emergency medical services 439 pursuant to s. 401.113. 440 Section 13.Subsection (3) of section 395.401, Florida 441 Statutes, is amended to read: 442 395.401Trauma services system plans; approval of trauma 443 centers and pediatric trauma centers; procedures; renewal. 444 (3)The department may withdraw local or regional agency 445 authority, prescribe corrective actions, or use the 446 administrative remedies as provided in s. 395.1065 for the 447 violation of any provision of this section and ss. 395.4015, 448 395.402, 395.4025, 395.403, 395.404, and 395.4045 or rules 449 adopted thereunder. All amounts collected pursuant to this 450 subsection shall be deposited into the First Responders 451 Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund provided in s. 401.34. 452 Section 14.Subsections (1) and (2) of section 395.403, 453 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 454 395.403Reimbursement of trauma centers. 455 (1)All verified trauma centers shall be considered 456 eligible to receive state funding when state funds are 457 specifically appropriated for state-sponsored trauma centers in 458 the General Appropriations Act. Effective July 1, 2010, The 459 department shall make payments from the First Responders 460 Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under s. 20.435 to the 461 trauma centers. Payments shall be in equal amounts for the 462 trauma centers approved by the department as of July 1 of the 463 fiscal year in which funding is appropriated. In the event a 464 trauma center does not maintain its status as a trauma center 465 for any state fiscal year in which such funding is appropriated, 466 the trauma center shall repay the state for the portion of the 467 year during which it was not a trauma center. 468 (2)Trauma centers eligible to receive distributions from 469 the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund under 470 s. 20.435 in accordance with subsection (1) may request that 471 such funds be used as intergovernmental transfer funds in the 472 Medicaid program. 473 Section 15.Subsections (1) and (2) of section 395.4036, 474 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 475 395.4036Trauma payments. 476 (1)Recognizing the Legislatures stated intent to provide 477 financial support to the current verified trauma centers and to 478 provide incentives for the establishment of additional trauma 479 centers as part of a system of state-sponsored trauma centers, 480 the department shall utilize funds collected under s. 318.18 and 481 deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 482 Trust Fund of the department to ensure the availability and 483 accessibility of trauma services throughout the state as 484 provided in this subsection. 485 (a)Funds collected under s. 318.18(16) shall be 486 distributed as follows: 487 1.Twenty percent of the total funds collected during the 488 state fiscal year shall be distributed to verified trauma 489 centers that have a local funding contribution as of December 490 31. Distribution of funds under this subparagraph shall be based 491 on trauma caseload volume for the most recent calendar year 492 available. 493 2.Forty percent of the total funds collected shall be 494 distributed to verified trauma centers based on trauma caseload 495 volume for the most recent calendar year available. The 496 determination of caseload volume for distribution of funds under 497 this subparagraph shall be based on the hospital discharge data 498 for patients who meet the criteria for classification as a 499 trauma patient reported by each trauma center pursuant to s. 500 408.061. 501 3.Forty percent of the total funds collected shall be 502 distributed to verified trauma centers based on severity of 503 trauma patients for the most recent calendar year available. The 504 determination of severity for distribution of funds under this 505 subparagraph shall be based on the departments International 506 Classification Injury Severity Scores or another statistically 507 valid and scientifically accepted method of stratifying a trauma 508 patients severity of injury, risk of mortality, and resource 509 consumption as adopted by the department by rule, weighted based 510 on the costs associated with and incurred by the trauma center 511 in treating trauma patients. The weighting of scores shall be 512 established by the department by rule. 513 (b)Funds collected under s. 318.18(5)(c) and (21) shall be 514 distributed as follows: 515 1.Thirty percent of the total funds collected shall be 516 distributed to Level II trauma centers operated by a public 517 hospital governed by an elected board of directors as of 518 December 31, 2008. 519 2.Thirty-five percent of the total funds collected shall 520 be distributed to verified trauma centers based on trauma 521 caseload volume for the most recent calendar year available. The 522 determination of caseload volume for distribution of funds under 523 this subparagraph shall be based on the hospital discharge data 524 for patients who meet the criteria for classification as a 525 trauma patient reported by each trauma center pursuant to s. 526 408.061. 527 3.Thirty-five percent of the total funds collected shall 528 be distributed to verified trauma centers based on severity of 529 trauma patients for the most recent calendar year available. The 530 determination of severity for distribution of funds under this 531 subparagraph shall be based on the departments International 532 Classification Injury Severity Scores or another statistically 533 valid and scientifically accepted method of stratifying a trauma 534 patients severity of injury, risk of mortality, and resource 535 consumption as adopted by the department by rule, weighted based 536 on the costs associated with and incurred by the trauma center 537 in treating trauma patients. The weighting of scores shall be 538 established by the department by rule. 539 (2)Funds deposited in the departments First Responders 540 Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund for verified trauma 541 centers may be used to maximize the receipt of federal funds 542 that may be available for such trauma centers. Notwithstanding 543 this section and s. 318.14, distributions to trauma centers may 544 be adjusted in a manner to ensure that total payments to trauma 545 centers represent the same proportional allocation as set forth 546 in this section and s. 318.14. For purposes of this section and 547 s. 318.14, total funds distributed to trauma centers may include 548 revenue from the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 549 Trust Fund and federal funds for which revenue from the 550 Administrative Trust Fund is used to meet state or local 551 matching requirements. Funds collected under ss. 318.14 and 552 318.18 and deposited in the First Responders Emergency Medical 553 Services Trust Fund of the department shall be distributed to 554 trauma centers on a quarterly basis using the most recent 555 calendar year data available. Such data shall not be used for 556 more than four quarterly distributions unless there are 557 extenuating circumstances as determined by the department, in 558 which case the most recent calendar year data available shall 559 continue to be used and appropriate adjustments shall be made as 560 soon as the more recent data becomes available. 561 Section 16.Subsection (2) of section 401.2715, Florida 562 Statutes, is amended to read: 563 401.2715Recertification training of emergency medical 564 technicians and paramedics. 565 (2)Any individual, institution, school, corporation, or 566 governmental entity may conduct emergency medical technician or 567 paramedic recertification training upon application to the 568 department and payment of a nonrefundable fee to be deposited 569 into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund. 570 Institutions conducting department-approved educational programs 571 as provided in this chapter and licensed ambulance services are 572 exempt from the application process and payment of fees. The 573 department shall adopt rules for the application and payment of 574 a fee not to exceed the actual cost of administering this 575 approval process. 576 Section 17.Subsection (1) of section 401.34, Florida 577 Statutes, is amended to read: 578 401.34Fees. 579 (1)Each organization subject to this part must pay to the 580 department the following nonrefundable fees, and these fees must 581 be deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical 582 Services Trust Fund to be applied solely for salaries and 583 expenses of the department incurred in implementing and 584 enforcing this part: 585 (a)Basic life support service license application: $660, 586 to be paid biennially. 587 (b)Advanced life support service license application: 588 $1,375, to be paid biennially. 589 (c)Original or renewal vehicle permit application for 590 basic or advanced life support: $25, to be paid biennially. 591 (d)Air ambulance service application: $1,375, to be paid 592 biennially. 593 (e)Original or renewal aircraft permit application for air 594 ambulance: $25, to be paid biennially. 595 Section 18.Subsection (8) of section 401.411, Florida 596 Statutes, is amended to read: 597 401.411Disciplinary action; penalties. 598 (8)All amounts collected under this section must be 599 deposited into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services 600 Trust Fund. 601 Section 19.Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 602 401.421, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 603 401.421Injunctive relief; cease and desist notice; civil 604 penalty; enforcement. 605 (2) 606 (b)In addition to or in lieu of any remedy provided in 607 paragraph (a), the department may seek the imposition of a civil 608 penalty by the circuit court for any violation for which the 609 department may issue a notice to cease and desist under 610 paragraph (a). The civil penalty must be no less than $500 and 611 no more than $5,000 for each offense. The court may, in addition 612 to any other remedy it finds appropriate, award to the 613 prevailing party court costs and a reasonable attorneys fee, 614 and, if the department prevails, the court may also award 615 reasonable costs of investigation. All amounts collected by the 616 department under this paragraph must be deposited into the First 617 Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund. 618 Section 20.Paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section 619 401.465, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 620 401.465911 public safety telecommunicator certification. 621 (4)FEES. 622 (e)Fees collected under this section shall be deposited 623 into the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund 624 and used solely for salaries and expenses of the department 625 incurred in administering this section. 626 Section 21.Section 938.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to 627 read: 628 938.07Driving or boating under the influence. 629 Notwithstanding any other provision of s. 316.193 or s. 327.35, 630 a court cost of $135 shall be added to any fine imposed pursuant 631 to s. 316.193 or s. 327.35. The clerks shall remit the funds to 632 the Department of Revenue, $25 of which shall be deposited in 633 the First Responders Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund, $50 634 shall be deposited in the Operating Trust Fund of the Department 635 of Law Enforcement to be used for operational expenses in 636 conducting the statewide criminal analysis laboratory system 637 established in s. 943.32, and $60 shall be deposited in the 638 Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program Trust Fund created in s. 639 381.79. 640 Section 22.This act shall take effect October 1, 2025.