HB 303 — CS/HB 303: Human Trafficking Education For Initial Nurse Licensure

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 HBCS/HB 303 2026 A bill to be entitled An act relating to human trafficking trainingeducation for nursinginitial students;nurse licensure;

464.019,464.008, F.S.;

revisingrequiring nursingcompletion educationof program requirements to include a course on human trafficking prevention;for the initial licensure of registered nurses or licenses practical nurses, beginning on a specified date;

requiring such course to meet specified requirements;

requiring students to complete the course before graduation;

requiring the Board of Nursing, in coordination with the Department of Health, to oversee implementation and enforcement of the new education requirements;

requiring the board and the department to consult with certain entities to ensure the course curriculum remains consistent with certain criteria;

providing applicability;

WHEREAS,9 theBe LegislatureIt findsEnacted thatby humanthe traffickingLegislature is a critical public health crisis and safety issue affecting thousands of individuals across Florida, and WHEREAS, nurses play a key role in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking, as nurses are often among the firstState and the last health care providers to interact with individuals at risk, and WHEREAS, the state has already taken steps to educate licensed nurses on human trafficking through chapter 2017-23, Laws of Florida,Florida: which requires continuing education on human Page 1 of 3 CODING:

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hb303-00 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 HB 303 2026 trafficking biennially as a condition of licensure renewal for nurses, and WHEREAS, to expand and strengthen these efforts, the Legislature finds that requiring human trafficking training as a condition for initial licensure for nurses will ensure that all newly licensed nurses in Florida enter the workforce with the skills and knowledge to identify and respond to human trafficking cases, NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

Paragraph (h)(e) is added to subsection (1) of section 464.019,464.008, Florida Statutes, to read:

464.019464.008 ApprovalLicensure ofby nursingexamination.— education programs.— (1) PROGRAMAny APPLICATION.—Anperson educationaldesiring institutionto thatbe wisheslicensed toas conduct a programregistered innurse this state for the prelicensure education of professional or licensed practical nursesnurse mustshall submitapply to the department a program application and review fee of $1,000 for each prelicensure nursing education program to betake offered at the institution'slicensure mainexamination. campus, branch campus, or other instructional site.

The programdepartment applicationshall mustexamine includeeach theapplicant legalwho: name of the educational institution, the legal name of the nursing education program, and, if such institution is accredited, the name of the accrediting agency.

The(e) applicationBeginning mustJuly also1, document2027, that:has completed a 2-hour course on human trafficking.

(h)1.The course must include the content required of the human trafficking continuing education course required under s.

The464.013(3)(c). professional or practical nursing education Page 2 of 3 CODING:

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hb303-00 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 HB 303 2026 program requires students to complete a 2-hour course on human trafficking that meets the requirements of s.

464.013(3)(c) as part of its core curriculum.

The course must be approved by the board.

2.

Students must complete the course before graduating from the program.

The board, in coordination with the department, shall oversee implementation and enforcement of this paragraph and consult with human trafficking advocacy organizations and local law enforcement agencies to ensure that the course curriculum offered by nursing education programs remains consistent with current laws and best practices and aligns with existing human trafficking education efforts.

This paragraph applies to students who enroll in a nursing education program on or after July 1, 2027.

This act shall take effect uponJuly becoming1, a2026. law.

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