TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ A bill now heads to the House floor that makes changes to the state Department of Health _ though without its most contentious provision that would have shifted public-health responsibilities from the state to the counties.
The bill (HB 1263) cleared the House Health and Human Services Committee on a party-line vote of 12-6 on Monday. Bill sponsor Matt Hudson said he removed the “decentralization'' part of the bill.
There had been resistance from Gov. Rick Scott and department officials to spinning off public health.
But the Naples Republican's measure still would shut down the state's only tuberculosis hospital in Palm Beach County. Hudson says 46 other states do without one.
Opponents say the facility treats the most stubborn cases and other hospitals likely won't accept transferred patients from there.
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