Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill reducing the level of the nursing care required in Florida's nursing homes.
HB 1239 was sponsored by Republican Rep. Lauren Melo of Naples. It cuts the requirement for certified nursing assistants by 20 percent.
DeSantis signed it without fanfare as one of 42 bills approved Wednesday afternoon.
The nursing home industry had sought the reduction in standards, saying it needs flexibility in the face of staffing shortages.
But the CNAs themselves and advocates for seniors, like AARP, pressed DeSantis to veto the bill.
On Thursday, AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson blasted the decision as hurting nursing home residents. He urged Floridians to, quote, "do whatever it takes to keep your loved ones out of Florida’s nursing homes."