2025 Florida Legislative Session Summary

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Susan Harbin 2025 Headshot Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Floridians impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2025, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the Florida Legislature in support of the following priorities:

 

 

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN worked to increase funding for the Mary Brogan Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to $3,628,325 million, a record high, and nearly double the historical funding level of $1.8 million.

 

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

Coverage for Supplemental and Diagnostic Breast Exams: ACS CAN supported SB 158, which prohibits the state group insurance program health plans from imposing cost-sharing requirements for diagnostic breast and supplemental breast exams. SB 158 was signed into law by the Governor on May 21, 2025, and will go into effect on January 1, 2026, coinciding with the beginning of the health plan year.

 

Cancer Research Funding

Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program: The Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program received $127.5 million. These funds are distributed on a tiered basis to the state’s eligible NCI-designated cancer centers, which include H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer, the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the University of Florida Health Shands Cancer Hospital.

Florida Cancer Innovation Fund: The Florida Cancer Innovation Fund, which awards research grants to support innovative cancer research, including emerging research trends and promising practices, received $60 million.

  • Other State Cancer Research Programs: The Bankhead-Coley Cancer Research Program was funded at $10 million, and the King Biomedical Research program received $7.85 million. Additionally, $3 million was provided for pediatric cancer research through the statutory Live Like Bella Initiative. A new Cancer Connect Collaborative Incubator program, which will support pediatric cancer research at specialty children’s hospitals, was funded at $30 million.

 

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: The Legislature approved $89,610,308 million in funding for the Comprehensive Statewide Tobacco Prevention and Education Program. This represents an increase of $2.6 million over the current year funding. The dollars distributed within the larger program are generally consistent with the CDC’s Best Practices.

 

Appropriations

• The $115.1 billion budget for FY 2025-26 adopted during the 2025 Legislative Session includes approximately $364 million for the fight against cancer. In total, cancer-related funding from the legislature includes:

2025 Florida Legislature Cancer Related Funding

 

PDF icon Downloadable document can be found here.

For more information, contact: Susan Harbin, Florida Senior Government Relations Director ACS CAN [email protected]; 770.546.8845 ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidencebased public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer.

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