From: The Florida House of Representatives, Representative Hillary Cassel, District 101
January 7, 2026- As the 2026 Legislative Session approaches, State Representative Hillary Cassel today announced legislation designed to improve access to healthcare for more than two million residents by empowering Broward County’s two public hospital systems to collaborate more effectively.
The proposed legislation H.B. 1047 would grant state action immunity to Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System, allowing the two public, safety-net hospital systems to work together more efficiently. Supporters say the commonsense reform, which has been successfully implemented in 21 other states, will help preserve essential services, reduce health disparities, expand access and keep care close to home.
“Broward families need greater access to emergency, maternity, and specialty healthcare, and our public hospitals are the backbone of that access,” said State Representative Cassel. “This bill puts patients first by allowing Broward Health and Memorial to collaborate and expand care where it’s needed most, ensuring our public hospitals can better serve the community and compete effectively while keeping healthcare dollars invested locally.”
Broward County is one of Florida’s most populous and diverse regions, yet access to care remains uneven. According to local data, 21% of all infant deaths and 36% of Black infant deaths, occur in just two ZIP codes. Hypertension affects one in 10 residents and nearly 200,000 people experience food insecurity, including thousands of children.
The strain on public hospitals has intensified as private providers scale back services. In 2022, Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale permanently closed its maternity and labor and delivery unit, citing staffing and financial challenges. When private hospitals exit unprofitable services, the burden falls on Broward’s two public hospital systems, which serve all patients regardless of ability to pay.
Across the nation, 21 other states have adopted this same legislation. The legislation emphasizes transparency and accountability and does not authorize a merger of Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System; both entities remain independent public health systems with separate governance and operations. Both Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System operate under Florida’s Sunshine Laws, ensuring public oversight of governance and finances. The bill does not reduce competition; rather, it enables strategic collaboration to expand services and improve outcomes.
Broward’s public hospital systems have already independently reinvested more than $1.5 billion into the community. Current and planned projects include freestanding emergency departments across the county, major renovations to maternity and surgical facilities, new medical office buildings and expanded partnerships bringing pediatric specialists closer to home.
