Florida SB 1060: Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program Student Service Requirements

Bill Text

1060 
Neurofibromatosis Research Grants 
2026-01-05T06:19:13Z 
Creating the Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program within the Department of Health; providing the purpose of the program; allowing certain grant proposals to receive preference in the awarding of grants; requiring the department to award grants after consulting with the Rare Disease Advisory Council; prohibiting members of the council or peer review panels from participating in discussions or decisions if there are certain conflicts of interest, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1060 

 By Senator Rodriguez 

 40-00931A-26 20261060__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to the neurofibromatosis research 
 3 grants; creating s. 381.994, F.S.; creating the 
 4 Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program within the 
 5 Department of Health; providing the purpose of the 
 6 program; providing that, subject to legislative 
 7 appropriation, the program award grants for certain 
 8 purposes; specifying entities that are eligible to 
 9 apply for grants under the program; allowing certain 
 10 grant proposals to receive preference in the awarding 
 11 of grants; requiring the department to award grants 
 12 after consulting with the Rare Disease Advisory 
 13 Council; specifying the types of applications that may 
 14 be considered for grant funding; requiring the 
 15 department to appoint peer review panels to review the 
 16 scientific merit of grant applications and establish 
 17 their priority scores; requiring the council to 
 18 consider the priority scores in determining which 
 19 proposals are recommended for grant funding under the 
 20 program; requiring the council and peer review panels 
 21 to establish and follow certain guidelines when 
 22 performing their duties under the program; prohibiting 
 23 members of the council or peer review panels from 
 24 participating in discussions or decisions if there are 
 25 certain conflicts of interest; authorizing certain 
 26 appropriated funds to be carried forward under certain 
 27 circumstances; providing an effective date. 
 28 
 29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 30 
 31 Section 1. Section 381.994, Florida Statutes, is created to 
 32 read: 
 33 381.994 Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program.— 
 34 (1)(a) There is created within the Department of Health the 
 35 Neurofibromatosis Disease Grant Program. The purpose of the 
 36 program is to advance the progress of research and cures for 
 37 neurofibromatosis by awarding grants through a competitive, 
 38 peer-reviewed process. 
 39 (b) Subject to an annual recurring appropriation of $5 
 40 million by the Legislature, the program shall award grants for 
 41 scientific and clinical research to further the search for new 
 42 diagnostics, treatments, and cures for neurofibromatosis. 
 43 (2)(a) Applications for grants for neurofibromatosis 
 44 disease research may be submitted by any university or 
 45 established research institute in this state. All qualified 
 46 investigators in this state, regardless of institutional 
 47 affiliation, shall have equal access and opportunity to compete 
 48 for the research funding. Preference may be given to grant 
 49 proposals that foster collaboration among institutions, 
 50 researchers, and community practitioners, as such proposals 
 51 support the advancement of treatments and cures of 
 52 neurofibromatosis through basic or applied research. Grants 
 53 shall be awarded by the department, after consultation with the 
 54 Rare Disease Advisory Council under s. 381.99, on the basis of 
 55 scientific merit, as determined by the competitive, peer 
 56 reviewed process to ensure objectivity, consistency, and high 
 57 quality. The following types of applications may be considered 
 58 for funding: 
 59 1. Investigator-initiated research grants. 
 60 2. Institutional research grants. 
 61 3. Collaborative research grants, including those that 
 62 advance the finding of treatment and cures through basic or 
 63 applied research. 
 64 (b) To ensure appropriate and fair evaluation of grant 
 65 applications based on scientific merit, the department shall 
 66 appoint peer review panels of independent, scientifically 
 67 qualified individuals to review the scientific merit of each 
 68 proposal and establish its priority score. The priority scores 
 69 shall be forwarded to the council and must be considered in 
 70 determining which proposals are recommended for funding. 
 71 (3) For purposes of performing their duties under this 
 72 section, the Rare Disease Advisory Council and the peer review 
 73 panels shall establish and follow rigorous guidelines for 
 74 ethical conduct and adhere to a strict policy with regard to 
 75 conflicts of interest. A member of the council or panel may not 
 76 participate in any discussion or decision of the council or 
 77 panel with respect to a resea