FCA lobby team members Jack Hebert, Paul Lambert and Kim Driggers talk about the latest developments in the 2020 Legislative Session. 

Wednesday, January 22, 2020, Tallahassee – Late yesterday afternoon the Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee voted 6-1 to approve Senate Bill 378 by Sen. Tom Lee (R-Tampa). The legislation proposes to repeal Florida’s four-decades-old no-fault auto insurance system, replacing it with a new at-fault system requiring drivers carry mandatory bodily injury and property damage coverage. Sen. Lee, who introduced similar bills during the last two sessions, also chairs this committee. His efforts in previous years both died on the calendar, lacking final consideration. 

The FCA was the only health care and chiropractic group rising to speak in opposition to the proposal. FCA General Counsel Paul lambert provided testimony on one of our main points of concern: The lack of any provision in the bill that protects doctors from a patient’s or attorney’s failure to satisfy an outstanding balance per a letter of protection, upon the patient’s settlement or judgment in a personal injury claim or action.

Paul Lambert, FCA General Counsel testifies in opposition to the repeal of PIP/No-fault before the Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee.

Friday, January 17, 2020, Tallahassee – A Senate calendar released late yesterday indicates the Florida Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee next Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 21st, will consider a proposal aimed at repealing and replacing Florida’s current No-fault/PIP auto insurance  program with a requirement motorists carry mandatory bodily injury coverage instead.   The measure, SB 378 by Sen. Tom Lee (R-Brandon), is being heard in the same committee which Sen. Lee also happens to chair. Lee has introduced similar measures during past legislative sessions, none of which ultimately passed the full Senate.

Friday, January 16, 2020, Tallahassee – Tuesday marked the start of Florida’s annual 60-day lawmaking session amid the usual revelry of opening day dictated by tradition. Speeches, spouses, flowers and former legislators all filled the House chamber as the three branches of state government came together to listen to the Governor’s annual State-of-the-State address.

Here Comes the Sun: Senators and Reps found a traditional opening day FCA sunflower placed on their chamber desk, accompanied as usual by a poem penned by FCA Poet Laureate Sandy Lambert. 

Tallahassee, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019 – State legislators returned to the capitol the last two weeks, continuing committee work in preparation for their annual 60-day legislative session set to begin on January 14th. Individual member bills also continue to be filed daily and most committees are turning their attention to early hearings and consideration of many of the proposals. Following is a closer look at several bills of interest to the profession that saw committee action over the last two weeks.

 - Meet Your Leaders

- Chiropractic, Laser, and the Law

- Intermittent Energy Restriction: Can Reducing Meal Frequency Lower Health Risk?

- Best Practices, the Clinical Compass, and the Sunshine State

- Florida’s New Human Trafficking Law Impacting Health Care Professionals – Who Is In Your Waiting Room?

- Expanding Your Pediatric Treatment

- From “Majoring in Muscles” to the VA, a look at this year’s Foxworth Family Scholarship Recipient, Robert Butler

- The National Recap

- Appropriate Use of Diagnostic Imaging

- The Power of Systems

(From an ACA Release) As National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) comes to a close, we encourage you take a look at the toolkit created by ACA. These resources can be used year-round to promote our profession.

People with chronic back and neck pain who receive chiropractic care may be less likely to use opioid painkillers, a research review suggests.

Friday, October 25, 2019, Tallahassee – State legislators returned to Tallahassee the last two weeks for more committee work in preparation for their 2020 Session slated to kickoff on January 14th. Senators also convened this week in an extraordinary special session to consider the fate of Broward County Sheriff Scott. Following their debate, Senators voted 25 to 15 to remove Israel from office, supporting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ previous action to suspend him from office, after many questioned his leadership relating to the Parkland school shooting tragedy.