The bill amends section 381.00315 of the Florida Statutes, which governs the declaration of public health emergencies by the State Health Officer. Key changes include the removal of the requirement for the State Health Officer to consult with the Governor "to the extent possible" before declaring a public health emergency. The bill establishes that a declaration will expire 60 days after it is made unless the Governor agrees to renew it, which will extend the declaration for an additional 30 days. Furthermore, any subsequent renewals must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of each house of the Legislature, with each renewal also extending the declaration for 30 days.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that a public health emergency will automatically terminate if it is not renewed in a timely manner. The Governor or State Health Officer is restricted from renewing a declaration or declaring a similar emergency without legislative approval, unless there are significantly changed circumstances, in which case the Governor may renew the declaration for a single period of up to 3 days while calling the Legislature to reconsider the situation. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 1399 c1: 381.00315