Florida's Latest News

‘Hospital Days’: Hospital leaders reconvene at Capitol

More than 100 hospital leaders from across Florida gathered on Wednesday for Hospital Days at the State Capitol.

The goal of the event was to meet with lawmakers on a range of key priorities, including strong support for rural health care, improving timely access to care by reducing unnecessary and delayed prior authorizations, maintaining critical support for graduate medical education and sustaining vital funding for hospital services delivered to some of Florida’s most vulnerable populations.

Hosted by the Florida Hospital Association, Hospital Days gave hospital leaders the opportunity to engage in critical policy discussions, calling for strong partnerships and supportive policies to build a future vision of health care in Florida centered on superior, world-class care close to home.

“Across Florida, hospitals are making thoughtful, necessary investments to keep pace with medical innovation and to meet the health needs of a growing and aging population,” said Randy Haffner, FHA Board Chair and group president and CEO of AdventHealth Florida and Clinical Services. “This is a shared opportunity for hospitals, policymakers and communities to work together to ensure timely, high-quality care for every Floridian, when and where they need it.”

Michael Owen proposal to reshape Hillsborough County government clears its second House panel

A proposal by Apollo Beach Republican Rep. Michael Owen that could reshape the structure of Hillsborough County government cleared its second House committee stop.

If approved, HB 4029 would place a charter amendment on the November 2026 ballot asking voters whether to expand the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners from seven to nine members, with a future expansion to 11 Commissioners once the county reaches a population of at least 2.5 million.

The proposal would also convert all Commission seats to single-member districts — replacing the current mix of district-based and countywide elections — and revise voting thresholds for key county actions.

The bill does not directly enact those changes if approved by the Legislature. Instead, it requires approval by a majority of Hillsborough County voters through a countywide referendum conducted during the 2026 General Election.

Owen kept his remarks to members of the House Government Operations Subcommittee brief on Thursday, but previously told Florida Politics that the county’s current governance model no longer reflects Hillsborough’s size or population distribution. Owen argues that countywide elections concentrate political power in Tampa’s urban core while diluting representation for suburban and rural communities.

Austin Rogers throws hat in ring to succeed Neal Dunn in CD 2

A legal advisor to U.S. Sen. Rick Scott will make his own run for Congress. Austin Rogers just announced he’s running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn.

Rogers said he will be a “reliable vote” to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda in Washington if elected to represent Florida’s 2nd Congressional District.

“As President Trump and Senator Scott have shown, strong leadership matters,” Rogers said. “I was raised right here in the Second District, fishing these bays, hunting these woods and competing on these fields. I was taught to love this country, respect hard work and stand up for what’s right. I’ve seen firsthand how broken Washington is. Our nation needs more fighters who will fearlessly root out waste, fraud and abuse in government.”

Sources close to Rogers indicated earlier this month that the Bay County native was considering a run.

He just left a position on Scott’s staff as he seeks federal office. Rogers had worked as the Senator’s General Counsel since July. Before that, Rogers served as Chief Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee under the leadership of U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, and before that under U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican.

Major Health Care Bill OK'd in House

A Florida House panel Thursday backed a wide-ranging plan that seeks to trim health-care regulations and carry out federal changes in programs such as food stamps and Medicaid.

The plan (HB 693), which was approved by the House Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee, is one of two major health-care bills that House leaders rolled out for this year’s legislative session. The other bill, which also has started moving forward, seeks to lower prescription-drug prices.

The 143-page bill that advanced Thursday includes regulatory changes such as eliminating the state’s long-debated “certificate of need” process, which restricts the addition of nursing homes, hospice providers and intermediate care facilities for people with developmental disabilities. The bill also would eliminate restrictions on advanced practice registered nurses practicing autonomously, allow dental hygienists to have greater authority to treat patients and remove a cap on the number of physician assistants that each doctor can supervise.

Bill sponsor Mike Redondo, R-Miami, said such proposals are “designed to strengthen Florida’s ability to compete with other states for labor so we have a stronger health-care workforce and greater access to care, eliminate arbitrary government limits on market entry for key health-care providers and empower Floridians to make the best health-care choices for their families at the best price.”