On Thursday, FCCB expressed support for HB 1639 (Bankson) which was approved by the Infrastructure Strategies Committee by a 15-9 vote. The bill requires that any health insurance policy that provides coverage for sex-reassignment related services also provides coverage for those seeking de-transition treatment.

On Thursday, HB 1 (Sirois) received final passage by a 108-7 vote in the Florida House. The legislation prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from having accounts on social media platforms that meet certain criteria, including the use of addictive technologies. The bill was previously amended to include the substance of HB 3, a bill supported by the FCCB that requires pornography websites to conduct age verification to ensure that users are at least 18 years old.

On Thursday, the House Health & Human Services Committee unanimously passed HB 1549 (Grant), a comprehensive health care reform known as “Live Healthy.” This bill seeks to expand access to health care by recruiting and retaining a highly skilled workforce, increasing the use of preventive services and primary care, and incentivizing more providers to serve the poor.

On Tuesday, FCCB indicated support for SB 1442 (Grall) before the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services. SB 1442 would establish the Florida State Maternity Housing Grant Program within the Department of Children and Families.

Over 320 Catholic Days at the Capitol (CDAC) pilgrims from all seven dioceses in Florida could be found in Tallahassee on February 6-7, advocating at the Capitol and attending the 49th Annual Red Mass of the Holy Spirit.

At the CDAC breakfast on Wednesday, the Florida Bishops presented Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka with the Defensor Vitae Award and the Florida Council of Catholic Women with the Thomas A. Horkan Jr., Distinguished Catholic Leader Award. 

Florida’s Wrongful Death Act has held that someone whose action causes the death of an unborn child is not civilly liable to the surviving parents for damages. HB 651 sponsored by Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-Fort Myers) would expand Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to allow parents of an unborn child to recover civil damages for such unborn child’s death in the same way that other survivors may generally receive compensation from individuals or entities party to a suit.

HB 1347 (Brackett) and SB 1436 (Burton) would raise interest rates on consumer finance loans in a tiered system, adding to the burden of borrowers. Proponents argue these loans remain a better alternative than those available online that originate in other states.

HB 1589 (Plakon) would establish criminal penalties for unlicensed driving. FCCB's executive director, Michael Sheedy, sent a letter to the sponsor, outlining a few points of concern with the bill. "It must be noted that a significant number of Florida's residents have no path to a driver's license," wrote Michael.

Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) is the sponsor of several bills pertaining to immigration this session. Among them, SB 1174 further restricts community identification cards to preclude local governments from not only issuing them or funding them, but also from accepting them. SB 1324 would establish criminal penalties for unlicensed driving. SM 598 is a memorial bill which urges the federal government to secure the southern border of the United States and reform our broken immigration system.