Florida Senate - 2026 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 902
Ì219722&Î219722
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
02/18/2026 .
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The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services
(Garcia) recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Between lines 203 and 204
4 insert:
5 Section 2. Section 381.994, Florida Statutes, is created to
6 read:
7 381.994 Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program.—
8 (1)(a) There is created within the Department of Health the
9 Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program. The purpose of the
10 program is to advance the progress of research and cures for
11 neurofibromatosis by awarding grants through a competitive,
12 peer-reviewed process.
13 (b) Subject to legislative appropriation, the program shall
14 award grants for scientific and clinical research to further the
15 search for new diagnostics, treatments, and cures for
16 neurofibromatosis.
17 (2)(a) Applications for grants for neurofibromatosis
18 disease research may be submitted by any university or
19 established research institute in this state. All qualified
20 investigators in this state, regardless of institutional
21 affiliation, shall have equal access and opportunity to compete
22 for the research funding. Preference may be given to grant
23 proposals that foster collaboration among institutions,
24 researchers, and community practitioners, as such proposals
25 support the advancement of treatments and cures of
26 neurofibromatosis through basic or applied research. Grants
27 shall be awarded by the department, after consultation with the
28 Rare Disease Advisory Council under s. 381.99, on the basis of
29 scientific merit, as determined by the competitive, peer
30 reviewed process to ensure objectivity, consistency, and high
31 quality. The following types of applications may be considered
32 for funding:
33 1. Investigator-initiated research grants.
34 2. Institutional research grants.
35 3. Collaborative research grants, including those that
36 advance the finding of treatment and cures through basic or
37 applied research.
38 (b) To ensure appropriate and fair evaluation of grant
39 applications based on scientific merit, the department shall
40 appoint peer review panels of independent, scientifically
41 qualified individuals to review the scientific merit of each
42 proposal and establish its priority score. The priority scores
43 shall be forwarded to the council, and the council must consider
44 priority scores in determining which proposals are recommended
45 for funding.
46 (3) For purposes of performing their duties under this
47 section, the Rare Disease Advisory Council and the peer review
48 panels shall establish and follow rigorous guidelines for
49 ethical conduct and adhere to a strict policy with regard to
50 conflicts of interest. A member of the council or panel may not
51 participate in any discussion or decision of the council or
52 panel with respect to a research proposal by any firm, entity,
53 or agency with which the member is associated as a member of the
54 governing body or as an employee or with which the member has
55 entered into a contractual arrangement.
56 (4) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351,
57 the balance of any appropriation from the General Revenue Fund
58 for the Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program which is not
59 disbursed but is obligated pursuant to contract or committed to
60 be expended by June 30 of the fiscal year in which the funds are
61 appropriated may be carried forward for up to 5 years after the
62 effective date of the original appropriation.
63
64 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
65 And the title is amended as follows:
66 Between lines 23 and 24
67 insert:
68 creating s. 381.994, F.S.; creating the
69 Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program within the
70 department; providing the purpose of the program;
71 providing that, subject to legislative appropriation,
72 the program award grants for certain purposes;
73 specifying entities that are eligible to apply for
74 grants under the program; allowing certain grant
75 proposals to receive preference in the awarding of
76 grants; requiring the department to award grants after
77 consulting with the Rare Disease Advisory Council;
78 specifying the types of applications that may be
79 considered for grant funding; requiring the department
80 to appoint peer review panels to review the scientific
81 merit of grant applications and establish their
82 priority scores; requiring the council to consider the
83 priority scores in determining which proposals are
84 recommended for grant funding under the program;
85 requiring the council and peer review panels to
86 establish and follow certain guidelines when
87 performing their duties under the program; prohibiting
88 members of the council or peer review panels from
89 participating in discussions or decisions if there are
90 certain conflicts of interest; authorizing certain
91 appropriated funds to be carried forward under certain
92 circumstances;