FL H1229

Creates new licensure category for "Medically Complex Children's Homes" under Part XII of Chapter 400, F.S., for residential facilities serving up to six medically or technologically dependent children not related to the owner/operator

Requires homes to have licensed nursing staff on duty at all times, permanent onsite generators, automatic fire sprinkler systems, and annual fire inspections

Limits admission to children from Florida hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, or family homes where parents/guardians have primary residence in Florida; homes are explicitly not intended for children with out-of-state parents

Establishes tiered administrative fine structure: Class I violations ($500-$1,000), Class II ($400-$800), Class III ($200-$400), and Class IV ($100-$200), with fines waived for Class III/IV if corrected within specified timeframes

Effective July 1, 2026; existing community residential group homes licensed under Chapter 393 meeting specified criteria (common ownership with private duty nursing, prescribed pediatric extended care, home medical equipment, and therapy clinic) are deemed to satisfy initial licensure requirements