Apollo Beach Republican Rep. Michael Owen is pushing legislation that would more clearly separate treatment providers from recovery housing in Florida, limiting when mental health providers can use certified recovery residences to house patients and changing how those facilities are licensed and inspected.

HB 923 would update state laws governing recovery residences and licensed mental health and substance abuse providers, with changes affecting housing rules, licensing, inspections and record-keeping.

The bill aims to separate treatment from housing, spelling out when providers can use recovery residences, also known as sober living homes, to house patients and when they must operate fully licensed facilities instead. It also seeks to make it easier for existing providers to expand services or change ownership.

Under the proposal, most licensed mental health treatment providers would no longer be allowed to house their patients in recovery residences. Those patients would instead have to live in housing licensed specifically as a mental health facility.

An exception would allow certain higher-level providers to use certified recovery residences to house people receiving outpatient mental health treatment, as long as residents are separated based on their primary diagnosis.

The bill, filed Monday, would also change how licenses are handled, allowing both probationary and regular licenses to be transferred to new owners and narrowing what qualifies as a license transfer.

HB 923 would require the Department of Children and Families to issue a regular license within 30 days to an existing provider seeking to add services or expand to new locations, as long as the provider remains in good standing.

The measure would also tie treatment room size and group occupancy limits to statewide building and fire codes, rather than separate agency rules.

Other provisions allow credentialing entities to conduct inspections of recovery residences but limit their access to clinical and medical records when considering disciplinary action. The bill would also adjust notification timelines for certain personnel issues, remove a requirement that some executives be immediately removed following an arrest, and make certain recovery residence records confidential.

HB 923 has not yet been referred to committee. If approved, it would take effect July 1.

As 2025 comes to a close, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor says the city is entering the new year with momentum built on economic growth, major infrastructure investments and continued recovery from last year’s hurricanes.

Castor outlined the city’s progress in her year-end remarks, pointing to national recognition for Tampa’s economy and a slate of public works projects completed or launched over the past year.

Tampa ranked second among mid-sized U.S. cities for economic growth, with the local economy expanding 43% and paychecks rising 38%, according to a national study. The city also earned the top ranking for U.S. Cities for Foreign Businesses by the Financial Times, climbing from No. 26 in just one year.

“As we close out 2025, I am raising a toast to a year full of big wins and even bigger plans for our city in the year ahead,” Castor wrote in her newsletter.

Castor highlighted several projects as examples of the city’s success, including the October groundbreaking of the $57 million West Riverwalk expansion. Once completed, the project will create 12.2 miles of continuous waterfront trail connecting West Tampa, Tampa Heights, downtown and surrounding areas.

The city also completed a $17 million upgrade to the Bayshore Wastewater Pumping Station through its PIPES program, part of an ongoing effort to strengthen long-term infrastructure.

Tampa’s Mobility Department resurfaced 76 miles of roadways in 2025 with the addition of a second paving machine and crew. City officials reported a record 21 miles paved in November.

Castor also pointed to continued rebuilding efforts following last year’s hurricanes, including the reopening of community centers and the restoration of parks across the city.

Castor’s newsletter also highlights end-of-year events that continue this week, with the ReliaQuest Bowl Parade returning to Ybor City on Tuesday ahead of the Dec. 31 college football matchup between the University of Iowa and Vanderbilt University at Raymond James Stadium.

To promote safe travel during New Year’s Eve, the Farah & Farah law firm is offering $50 Uber credits through its 10th annual Safe Ride Home Program. Credits are available from 6 p.m. Dec. 31 through 6 a.m. Jan. 1.

City offices will be closed Thursday, Jan. 1, in observance of New Year’s Day. Free Christmas tree collection begins Jan. 2. Residents are asked to remove all decorations, cut limbs to 4 feet or less and place trees at the curb on their regular yard waste collection day. Plain paper, cardboard and paper cards can be recycled in green carts, while foil paper, ribbons, bows and string lights should be placed in the trash and sent to the McKay Bay Waste-to-Energy Facility.

Additional seasonal events include the city’s fourth annual Three Kings Day Celebration on Jan. 3 at Al Lopez Park and Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, which runs through Jan. 4. The Sulphur Springs Neighborhood Action Plan survey remains open through Jan. 5, and residents can register for free composting workshops through the city.

Upcoming community opportunities also include a Saturday Session focused on neighborhood trees on Jan. 17 and the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count on Feb. 26.

“The City of Tampa is heading into 2026 with big plans and even bigger gratitude for this community,” Castor said. “Here is to a happy, healthy, and peaceful new year.”