Florida SB 1290: Solar Schools

Bill Text

1290 
Recovery Residence Accountability and Protection Act 
2026-01-07T03:12:39Z 
Citing this act as the “Recovery Residence Accountability and Protection Act of 2025”; revising legislative findings; requiring any person, entity, or organization that owns, operates, or manages a recovery residence to obtain and maintain certification through the Department of Children and Families; deleting a requirement that the certification program is voluntary; deleting obsolete language; specifying the criteria for active management of a recovery residence, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1290 

 By Senator Harrell 

 31-01466B-26 20261290__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to the Recovery Residence 
 3 Accountability and Protection Act; creating a short 
 4 title; amending s. 397.311, F.S.; revising 
 5 definitions; amending s. 397.487, F.S.; revising 
 6 legislative findings; requiring any person, entity, or 
 7 organization that owns, operates, or manages a 
 8 recovery residence to obtain and maintain 
 9 certification through the Department of Children and 
 10 Families; requiring recovery residences operating on a 
 11 specified date to apply to the department for 
 12 certification by a specified date; authorizing such 
 13 recovery residences to continue to operate 
 14 conditionally during the application process unless 
 15 suspended or denied; requiring the department to 
 16 approve at least one credentialing entity with certain 
 17 expertise; requiring that such credentialing entity be 
 18 affiliated with the National Alliance for Recovery 
 19 Residences; deleting a requirement that the 
 20 certification program is voluntary; deleting obsolete 
 21 language; specifying the criteria for active 
 22 management of a recovery residence; deleting a 
 23 requirement that a recovery residence be certified and 
 24 have a discharge policy approved by a department 
 25 recognized credentialing entity before immediately 
 26 discharging or transferring a resident; revising a 
 27 provision prohibiting certified recovery residences 
 28 from denying admission to an individual solely because 
 29 that person is prescribed federally approved 
 30 medication for the treatment of a substance use 
 31 disorder to be consistent with the Americans with 
 32 Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act; authorizing 
 33 a recovery residence to conduct an individualized 
 34 assessment to determine whether admitting a specified 
 35 individual would fundamentally alter the nature of the 
 36 recovery residence’s operations based on objective, 
 37 individualized evidence; providing that such 
 38 assessment may not be based on program philosophy or 
 39 generalized assumptions; requiring the Department of 
 40 Children and Families to adopt rules consistent with 
 41 federal guidance; providing construction; authorizing 
 42 a recovery residence operating as a 100-percent 
 43 abstinence-based program to restrict admission to 
 44 certain individuals under specified circumstances; 
 45 requiring the department to adopt rules and establish 
 46 certain standards; making technical changes; amending 
 47 s. 397.4871, F.S.; revising legislative intent; 
 48 deleting a provision that the credentialing program 
 49 for recovery residence administrator certification is 
 50 voluntary; making technical changes; amending s. 
 51 397.4873, F.S.; deleting a requirement that a licensed 
 52 service provider may not make a referral of a 
 53 prospective, current, or discharged patient to a 
 54 recovery residence if such recovery residence is not 
 55 actively managed by a certified recovery residence 
 56 administrator; revising applicability; amending s. 
 57 633.208, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; 
 58 reenacting ss. 61.13(9)(a) and (b), 553.80(10) and 
 59 893.13(1)(h), F.S., relating to support of children 
 60 and parenting and time-sharing, enforcement, and 
 61 prohibited acts and penalties, respectively, to 
 62 incorporate the amendment made to s. 397.311, F.S., in 
 63 references thereto; providing an effective date. 
 64 
 65 WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that recovery 
 66 residences play a vital role in sustaining long-term recovery 
 67 from substance use disorders by providing safe, stable, and 
 68 supported living environments, and 
 69 WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that the absence of 
 70 consistent statewide standards for the ownership, management, 
 71 and operation of recovery residences has led to confusion, 
 72 exploitation, and consumer harm among individuals seeking 
 73 recovery, and 
 74 WHEREAS, in 2015, the Legislature enacted s. 397.311, 
 75 Florida Statutes, to establish a framework for voluntary 
 76 certification, but experience has demonstrated that voluntary 
 77 compliance alone is insufficient to ensure resident safety and 
 78 the integrity of Florida’s recovery housing system, and 
 79