SB0094 • 2026

Suicide Prevention for Active and Former Members of the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, and their Reserve Components

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Sharief
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Senate - Died in Children, Families, and Elder Affairs
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's impact on reducing suicide rates among military members remains speculative as the official source material does not provide evidence or guarantees about its effectiveness.

Suicide Prevention for Military Members

This bill requires facilities conducting involuntary mental health examinations to report whether the person being examined is an active or former member of the military.

What This Bill Does

Adds a requirement that facilities doing involuntary mental health exams must include if the person is in the military or was in the military.
Includes this information in reports sent to the Baker Act Reporting Center.

Who It Names or Affects

Active duty members of the United States Armed Forces, National Guard, and their reserve components.
Former members of these groups.
Facilities conducting involuntary mental health examinations.
The Baker Act Reporting Center at Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute.

Terms To Know

Baker Act: A law in Florida that allows for the temporary commitment of people who are a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness.
Involuntary examination: An evaluation by medical professionals when someone is suspected of having a mental health crisis and may need immediate help.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not provide funding for implementing the new reporting requirements.
It only applies to facilities in Florida that conduct involuntary examinations under the Baker Act.
The effectiveness of this measure in reducing suicide rates among military members is uncertain and will depend on how well it is implemented.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Senate
• Died in Children, Families, and Elder Affairs
2026-01-13 Senate
• Introduced
2025-10-13 Senate
• Referred to Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security; Rules
2025-10-02 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Suicide Prevention for Active and Former Members of the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, and their Reserve Components; Requiring a facility conducting an involuntary examination to include in its report to the Baker Act Reporting Center whether the individual examined is an active or former member of the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their reserve components, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 94

By
Senator Sharief

35-00392-26 202694__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to suicide prevention for active and
3 former members of the United States Armed Forces, the
4 National Guard, and their reserve components;
5 providing legislative findings and intent; amending s.
6 394.463, F.S.; requiring a facility conducting an
7 involuntary examination to include in its report to
8 the Baker Act Reporting Center whether the individual
9 examined is an active or former member of the United
10 States Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their
11 reserve components; providing an effective date.
12
13 WHEREAS, the Legislature finds the rate of suicide among
14 Florida active duty members and veterans of the United States
15 Armed Forces, the National Guard, and their reserve components
16 remains alarmingly high when compared to that of civilians, and
17 WHEREAS, according to the Office of Suicide Prevention,
18 there were 34.7 suicides per 100,000 veterans compared to 17.1
19 per 100,000 nonveterans reported in 2022, and
20 WHEREAS, current reporting requirements under the Baker Act
21 do not mandate the collection of data on whether individuals
22 subject to involuntary examinations are active duty members or
23 veterans of the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard,
24 or their reserve components, and
25 WHEREAS, without accurate reporting, the state lacks
26 critical information needed to determine whether the Baker Act
27 is being applied appropriately to active duty members and
28 veterans of the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard,
29 or their reserve components, and
30 WHEREAS, the Legislature intends to strengthen oversight
31 and accountability in the application of the Baker Act by
32 requiring mandatory reporting to include identification of a
33 patient’s military status to support improved policymaking,
34 prevention strategies, and positive mental health outcomes, NOW,
35 THEREFORE,
36
37 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
38
39 Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 394.463,
40 Florida Statutes, to read:
41 394.463 Involuntary examination.—
42
(6)
VETERAN AND MILITARY STATUS REPORTING.—Any facility

43
conducting an involuntary examination pursuant to this section

44
must include in its report to the Baker Act Reporting Center at

45
the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute whether

46
the individual examined is an active or former member of the

47
United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their reserve

48
components.

49 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.