Florida Senate - 2025                                    SB 1482
       
       
        
       By Senator Sharief
       
       
       
       
       
       35-00667D-25                                          20251482__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education on abusive head trauma;
    3         amending s. 411.2035, F.S.; requiring the Department
    4         of Health to adopt evidence-based parent education
    5         materials that describe the dangers of abusive head
    6         trauma, including shaken baby syndrome; specifying
    7         requirements for the parent education materials;
    8         specifying requirements for the distribution of the
    9         parent education materials; requiring the department
   10         to implement a multi-year phase-in plan for the
   11         distribution of the parent education materials;
   12         conforming provisions related to construction and
   13         immunity from civil liability to changes made by the
   14         act; providing an effective date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Section 411.2035, Florida Statutes, is amended
   19  to read:
   20         411.2035 Dangers of abusive head trauma shaking infants and
   21  young children; requirements for distributing parent education
   22  materials brochures.—
   23         (1) Every hospital, birthing facility, and provider of home
   24  birth which has maternity and newborn services shall provide to
   25  the parents of a newborn, before they take their newborn home
   26  from the hospital or birthing facility, written information with
   27  an explanation concerning the dangers of shaking infants and
   28  young children.
   29         (1)(2) The Department of Health shall adopt evidence-based
   30  parent education materials prepare a brochure that describe
   31  describes the dangers of abusive head trauma, including shaken
   32  baby syndrome shaking infants and young children. The parent
   33  education materials may be provided using written, visual, or
   34  electronic applications. The materials description must include,
   35  but need not be limited to, information concerning all of the
   36  following:
   37         (a) The grave effects of shaking infants and young
   38  children., information concerning
   39         (b) Appropriate ways to manage the causes that can lead a
   40  person to shake or harm infants and young children, including
   41  normal infant crying, fussing, and other causes.
   42         (c) a discussion of Ways to reduce the risks that can lead
   43  a person to shake or harm infants and young children.
   44         (d) Evidence-based practices for safe infant sleep and the
   45  dangers associated with unsafe sleep environments for infants.
   46         (e) Information on the importance of carefully selecting a
   47  trusted and responsible caregiver, including warning signs of
   48  potential risk factors.
   49         (2)(a) The evidence-based parent education materials
   50  adopted by the Department of Health under subsection (1) must be
   51  distributed as follows:
   52         1. Each hospital, birth center, and home birth provider
   53  providing maternity, prenatal, and newborn services shall
   54  provide the parent education materials to the parents or
   55  caregivers of a newborn within the first 2 weeks after the birth
   56  of the infant.
   57         2. Childbirth educators, pediatric physician practices,
   58  home visiting programs, and obstetrician practices shall provide
   59  the parent education materials to the expectant parents or
   60  caregivers receiving education or health care services from them
   61  or, if parents or caregivers have already received the parent
   62  education materials, reiterate or reinforce the information
   63  covered by such materials.
   64         3. The department shall adopt a statewide multimedia public
   65  education campaign to prevent instances of abusive head trauma,
   66  including shaken baby syndrome, using the parent education
   67  materials developed under subsection (1) or the information
   68  covered by such materials.
   69         (b) The department shall implement a multi-year phase-in
   70  plan for the distribution of the parent education materials,
   71  beginning with the counties with the six highest birth rates.
   72         (3) This section does not preclude a hospital, a birth
   73  center birthing facility, or a home birth provider, a childbirth
   74  educator, a pediatric physician practice, a home visiting
   75  program, or an obstetrician practice from providing the parent
   76  education materials notice required under this section as an
   77  addendum to, or in connection with, any other required
   78  information.
   79         (4) A cause of action does not accrue against the state or
   80  any subdivision or agency thereof or any hospital, birth center,
   81  home birth birthing facility or home-birth provider, childbirth
   82  educator, pediatric physician practice, home visiting program,
   83  or obstetrician practice for failure to give or receive the
   84  information required under this section.
   85         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.