Bill
HB 1043
Florida strengthens veterans’ outreach, health planning, and suicide-prevention training; expands advisory role and starts statewide adult day health care planning.
Note: the materials you provided include multiple different HB 1043 bills from several states and a committee report for a Florida bill titled “Veterans.” The bill text and committee analyses most complete in your packet relate to Florida HB 1043 (passed as CS/CS/SB 116). Below is a concise, objective summary of that Florida measure. If you intended a different HB 1043 (for example, the school health services bill named in your header), tell me which state/version and I will prepare a separate summary.
HB 1043 — Florida (enacted as CS/CS/SB 116, ch. 2025‑146) — Summary
Purpose and intent
- Strengthen Florida’s coordination and programs for veterans by improving outreach/awareness, expanding training for suicide prevention, planning veteran‑oriented health services, and refining certain administrative procedures (e.g., Hall of Fame nominations and license plate funds).
Key provisions and changes
- Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Council nominees: reduces the maximum number of nominees the Council may transmit for induction from 20 down to 5. (Section 1)
- FDVA survey and awareness work: requires the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) to conduct a survey evaluating the extent to which veterans and their spouses/dependents are aware of federal, state, and community programs and services, and to make recommendations to increase public awareness. FDVA must include coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense (to engage servicemembers reentering civilian life) and may engage county and city veteran service officers. (Section 2)
- Veterans’ health literacy: FDVA must submit an evaluation of veterans’ health literacy as part of its 2025 annual report. (Section 2)
- Suicide prevention training: the Veteran Suicide Prevention Training Pilot Program must include specialized mental‑health training to recognize indicators of elevated mental health conditions. (Section 3)
- Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.: expands that nonprofit’s duties to advise FDVA on problems or needs of veterans and their spouses/dependents. (Section 5)
- Adult day health care planning: requires FDVA to develop a statewide plan to establish adult day health care facilities across Florida to serve veterans and their families. (Section 7)
- Specialty license plate proceeds: authorizes that the portion of proceeds from the Gadsden Flag specialty license plate currently available for promotion/marketing may also be used for administrative costs. (Section 8)
- Technical changes: corrects cross‑references and removes obsolete references. (Sections 4 and 6)
Who is affected
- Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (new reporting, planning, coordination duties).
- Veterans and their spouses/dependents statewide (survey, outreach, health‑literacy evaluation, potential expansion of adult day health services).
- County and city veteran service officers (authorized to assist FDVA outreach).
- Florida Is For Veterans, Inc. (expanded advisory role).
- Purchasers of the Gadsden Flag specialty plate (allocation of proceeds may be used for administration).
Fiscal and timeline notes
- Fiscal impact: FDVA estimated approximately $350,000 in additional nonrecurring state expenditures:
- $50,000 for the awareness/needs survey and related evaluation.
- $300,000 to implement/continue the Veteran Suicide Prevention Training Pilot Program with specialized mental‑health training.
- Appropriation: the final enacted bill appropriates $350,000 in nonrecurring General Revenue funds to FDVA for FY 2025–2026 (broken down as above).
- Effective date: July 1, 2025.
- Procedural history: reported favorably in committee, passed the House (98–0), approved by the Governor on June 19, 2025 (chaptered as ch. 2025‑146), effective July 1, 2025.
Impact overview
- Short term: new FDVA reporting and survey obligations and startup/continuation of enhanced suicide‑prevention training funded by a one‑time appropriation.
- Medium/long term: potential improvements in veterans’ awareness of services, better coordination with DoD for transitioning servicemembers, expanded advisory input via Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., and a statewide plan that could increase access to adult day health care for veterans and families. The license‑plate change provides slightly more flexibility for administrative funding of that program.
If you want: I can (a) summarize the school‑health–focused HB 1043 referenced in your initial title if you can supply that bill text or state, or (b) produce separate one‑page summaries of any of the other HB 1043 versions included in your packet (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, North Dakota, etc.). Which would you prefer?
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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