Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 340
       
       
        
       By Senator Harrell
       
       
       
       
       
       31-00332B-26                                           2026340__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to human trafficking training for
    3         nursing students; amending s. 464.019, F.S.; requiring
    4         nursing education programs to include a course on
    5         human trafficking meeting specified criteria as part
    6         of their core curriculum; requiring that the course be
    7         approved by the Board of Nursing; requiring that
    8         students complete the course before graduating from
    9         such programs; requiring the board, in coordination
   10         with the Department of Health, to oversee
   11         implementation and enforcement of the new education
   12         requirements; requiring the board and the department
   13         to consult with certain entities to ensure the course
   14         curriculum remains consistent with certain criteria;
   15         providing applicability; providing an effective date.
   16  
   17         WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that human trafficking is a
   18  critical public health crisis and safety issue affecting
   19  thousands of individuals across Florida, and
   20         WHEREAS, nurses play a key role in identifying and
   21  assisting victims of human trafficking, as nurses are often
   22  among the first and the last health care providers to interact
   23  with individuals at risk, and
   24         WHEREAS, the state has already taken steps to educate
   25  licensed nurses on human trafficking through chapter 2017-23,
   26  Laws of Florida, which requires continuing education on human
   27  trafficking biennially as a condition of licensure renewal for
   28  nurses, and
   29         WHEREAS, to expand and strengthen these efforts, the
   30  Legislature finds that requiring human trafficking training as a
   31  condition for initial licensure for nurses will ensure that all
   32  newly licensed nurses in Florida enter the workforce with the
   33  skills and knowledge to identify and respond to human
   34  trafficking cases, NOW, THEREFORE,
   35  
   36  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   37  
   38         Section 1. Paragraph (h) is added to subsection (1) of
   39  section 464.019, Florida Statutes, to read:
   40         464.019 Approval of nursing education programs.—
   41         (1) PROGRAM APPLICATION.—An educational institution that
   42  wishes to conduct a program in this state for the prelicensure
   43  education of professional or practical nurses must submit to the
   44  department a program application and review fee of $1,000 for
   45  each prelicensure nursing education program to be offered at the
   46  institution’s main campus, branch campus, or other instructional
   47  site. The program application must include the legal name of the
   48  educational institution, the legal name of the nursing education
   49  program, and, if such institution is accredited, the name of the
   50  accrediting agency. The application must also document that:
   51         (h) The professional or practical nursing education program
   52  requires students to complete a 2-hour course on human
   53  trafficking which meets the requirements of s. 464.013(3)(c) as
   54  part of its core curriculum. The course must be approved by the
   55  board. The program must require students to complete the course
   56  before graduating from the program. The board, in coordination
   57  with the department, shall oversee implementation and
   58  enforcement of this paragraph and consult with human trafficking
   59  advocacy organizations and local law enforcement agencies to
   60  ensure that the course curriculum offered by nursing education
   61  programs remains consistent with current laws and best practices
   62  and aligns with existing human trafficking education efforts.
   63  This paragraph applies to students who enroll in a nursing
   64  education program on or after July 1, 2027.
   65         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.