Florida HB 923: Recovery Residences

Bill Text

CS/HB 923 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to recovery residences; amending s. 2
397.407, F.S.; specifying the level of background 3
screening the Department of Children and Families must 4
require of certain persons; prohibiting the department 5
from requiring certain existing licensed service 6
providers that are seeking to add licensed services or 7
one or more additional levels of care at an existing 8
licensed location or at one or more new locations to 9
admit individuals for services during the probationary 10
period, if certain requirements are met within a 11
specified timeframe; amending s. 397.487, F.S.; 12
removing provisions prohibiting certified recovery 13
residences from denying an individual access to 14
housing under specified circumstances on or after a 15
specified date; providing an effective date. 16
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
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Section 1. Subsections (6) and (7) of section 397.407, 20
Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 21
397.407 Licensure process; fees.— 22
(6)(a) The department may issue probationary, regular, and 23
interim licenses. The department may issue one license for all 24
service components operated by a service provider and defined 25

CS/HB 923 2026

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pursuant to s. 397.311(27). The license is valid only for the 26
specific service components listed for each specific location 27
identified on the license. The licensed service provider must 28
shall apply for the addition of any service components and 29
obtain approval before initiating additional services. The 30
licensed service provider must notify the department and provide 31
any required documentation at least 30 days before the 32
relocation of any of its service sites. Provision of service 33
components or delivery of services at a location not identified 34
on the license may be considered an unlicensed operation that 35
authorizes the department to seek an injunction against 36
operation as provided in s. 397.401, in addition to other 37
sanctions authorized by s. 397.415. Probationary and regular 38
licenses may be issued only after all required information has 39
been submitted. A license may not be transferred. As used in 40
this subsection, the term "transfer" means includes, but is not 41
limited to, the transfer of a majority of the ownership interest 42
in the licensed entity or transfer of responsibilities under the 43
license to another entity by contractual arrangement. 44
(b) For an event in which 5 percent or greater of the 45
controlling interest of a licensee is in any manner transferred 46
to another person or entity, the department shall only require 47
level 2 background screening pursuant to s. 397.4073 for 48
officers, directors, managing members, and individuals who 49
exercise operational control over the licensee on behalf of that 50

CS/HB 923 2026

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person or entity. 51
(7)(a) Upon receipt of a complete application, payment of 52
applicable fees, and a demonstration of substantial compliance 53
with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, the 54
department may issue a probationary license to a service 55
provider applicant with services that are not yet fully 56
operational. The department may not issue a probationary license 57
when doing so would place the health, safety, or welfare of 58
individuals at risk. A probationary license expires 90 days 59
after issuance and may not be reissued. During the probationary 60
period the department shall monitor the delivery of services. 61
Notwithstanding s. 120.60(5), the department may order a 62
probationary licensee to cease and desist operations at any time 63
it is found to be substantially out of compliance with licensure 64
standards. This cease-and-desist order is exempt from the 65
requirements of s. 120.60(6). 66
(b) For an existing licensed service provider seeking to 67
add one or more additional levels of care at an existing 68
licensed location or at one or more new locations where the 69
provider will offer the same level of care that the provider is 70
currently licensed to provide, the department may not require 71
the provider to admit individuals for services during the 72
probationary license period if the provider has no outstanding 73
violations pursuant to s. 397.411 and the department has not 74
taken any actions against the provider's existing license 75

CS/HB 923 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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