FL H0581

Creates section 296.42 of Florida Statutes establishing a site selection process for state veterans' nursing homes based on need assessments.

Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to contract for a study due to the Governor and Legislature by November 1, 2016, identifying needed facilities and appropriate counties for location.

Establishes seven ranking criteria for counties: distance to existing facilities, number of veterans age 65+, presence of VA medical centers, emergency health care capacity, existing community nursing home beds, accredited health care educational institutions, and poverty rates.

Directs the department to use study rankings to select new nursing home sites authorized before July 1, 2020, choosing the highest-ranked county without an existing veterans' nursing home, subject to Governor and Cabinet approval.

Requires updated studies every 4 years beginning November 1, 2020, with the 2014 Site Selection Study used for any facilities authorized before November 1, 2016.