DeSantis vetoes Florida nursing education bill amid oversight debate

Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have increased state requirements for nursing-education programs by expanding the Florida Board of Nursing's oversight. The bill, which passed both the House and Senate with strong support, aimed to improve nursing education quality by allowing consideration of adverse actions taken against programs elsewhere and addressing Florida's lagging passage rates on the national nurse licensure exam. DeSantis argued that the bill represented bureaucratic overreach, potentially deterring programs from accepting students and encouraging an overemphasis on test preparation rather than practical training, which could hinder recruiting and maintaining nursing programs. The Florida Nurses Association opposed the veto, emphasizing the need for quality education to prepare nurses for critical decision-making in healthcare. Additionally, DeSantis vetoed a bill designed to resolve a water dispute between North Miami Beach and Miami Gardens, stating that such conflicts should be resolved locally or through more comprehensive statewide measures rather than targeted legislation. He expressed concern that the water dispute bill would unfairly benefit certain ratepayers while raising costs for others.