Politics
Danny Burgess, Adam Anderson take on genetic counselor shortage
State Sen. Danny Burgess and state Rep. Adam Anderson have filed legislation that would address a shortage of genetic counselors and strengthen the state’s capacity for advanced medical care and genetic research.
The identical measures (SB 1376 and HB 1115) would establish the Genetic Counseling Education Enhancement Grant Program within Florida’s State University System to support the development of American Board of Genetic Counseling-accredited graduate-level genetic counseling programs, to eliminate Florida’s status as a genetic counseling desert.
With just 179 licensed genetic counselors in the state, patient demand is not being met. Genetic counselors guide families facing complex genetic diagnoses, and they serve as essential partners in research, innovation and precision medicine.
“It’s not easy to develop expertise in the genetic field, and right now Florida simply doesn’t have enough trained professionals to meet the need,” Anderson said. “Genetic counselors are on the front lines, helping families navigate life-altering diagnoses and supporting breakthroughs in medical research and innovation. Financial barriers, on top of years of intensive training, should not stand in the way of Floridians willing to step into this critical role. By investing in education today, Florida can help solve a national shortage and ensure families here aren’t left behind.”
The issue is personal for Anderson. His son, Andrew, passed away from Tay-Sachs disease, an ultra-rare fatal genetic disorder with only 16 cases annually nationwide. There are more than 7,000 known rare diseases that affect some 350 million people worldwide, according to Anderson’s office.
Since his son’s death, Anderson and his family have been active in advancing research in rare diseases through the Cure Tay Sachs Foundation and their AJ Anderson Foundation. Anderson previously worked with former House Speaker Chris Sprowls to create Tay Sachs Awareness Day in Florida on Aug. 10, Andrew’s birthday.
Anderson successfully ran a bill (HB 907) last year, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in June, establishing the Sunshine Genetics Act. The Act authorizes the expansion of pediatric rare disease research and positions Florida as a national leader. It also established the Sunshine Genetics Pilot Program with $3 million in initial funding, laying the foundation for a new $100 billion genomic medicine industry in the state.
In 2024, Anderson successfully ushered through a bill (SB 1582) that created a grant program to fund scientific and clinical research on rare diseases.
Burgess will champion the latest effort to tackle genetic disorders in the Senate, saying this legislation is needed to grow Florida’s health care workforce.
“As medicine becomes more advanced and personalized, the demand for highly trained genetic counselors will only increase,” he said. “This legislation is about preparing Florida for the future by expanding educational opportunities, strengthening our health care workforce, and ensuring families across the state have access to the expertise they need without having to leave Florida for care.”
Doctors are praising the effort, with Dr. Pradeep Bhide, the director of the Florida State University (FSU) Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases, calling it “a vital step toward building (the) genetic counseling workforce Florida families desperately need.”
“We are delighted to see Rep. Anderson continuing his important work to make Florida a national leader in developing new education programs to help patients and families understand the complex challenges surrounding genetic disorders,” added Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, executive vice president at USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “As the USF College of Public Health is home to the only accredited genetic counseling graduate program in Florida, we have a deep understanding of the need to expand the genetic counseling workforce in Florida and know that these grants will help patients and families across the state.”
The University of South Florida (USF) is currently the only Florida institution with an active genetic counseling program. FSU has a program in the approval process.
The measure would address key barriers to program growth, including faculty shortages, student financial constraints and limited access to clinical training sites. It would establish grant funds to recruit and retain qualified faculty and provide financial assistance to students. Institutions could not use funds for general administrative costs, to construct new facilities, or for non-program-related activities.
Additionally, participating universities would be required to maintain detailed compliance records and submit annual reports on expenditures and outcomes.
The bill, as currently written, does not include cost estimates or grant amounts.
If approved, the program would take effect July 1.
Reviving a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump wants a one-year, 10% cap on credit card interest rates, a move that could save Americans tens of billions of dollars but drew immediate opposition from an industry that has been in his corner.
Trump was not clear in his social media post Friday night whether a cap might take effect through executive action or legislation, though one Republican senator said he had spoken with the president and would work on a bill with his “full support.” Trump said he hoped it would be in place Jan. 20, one year after he took office.
Strong opposition is certain from Wall Street and the credit card companies, which donated heavily to his 2024 campaign and to support his second-term agenda.
“We will no longer let the American Public be ripped off by Credit Card Companies that are charging Interest Rates of 20 to 30%,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Researchers who studied Trump’s campaign pledge after it was first announced found that Americans would save roughly $100 billion in interest a year if credit card rates were capped at 10%. The same researchers found that while the credit card industry would take a major hit, it would still be profitable, although credit card rewards and other perks might be scaled back.
Americans are paying, on average, between 19.65% and 21.5% in interest on credit cards according to the Federal Reserve and other industry tracking sources. That has come down in the past year as the central bank lowered benchmark rates, but is near the highs since federal regulators started tracking credit card rates in the mid-1990s.
The Republican administration has proved particularly friendly until now to the credit card industry.
Capital One got little resistance from the White House when it finalized its purchase and merger with Discover Financial in early 2025, a deal that created the nation’s largest credit card company. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is largely tasked with going after credit card companies for alleged wrongdoing, has been largely nonfunctional since Trump took office.
In a joint statement, the banking industry was opposed to Trump’s proposal.
“If enacted, this cap would only drive consumers toward less regulated, more costly alternatives,” the American Bankers Association and allied groups said.
The White House did not respond to questions about how the president seeks to cap the rate or whether he has spoken with credit card companies about the idea.
Sen. Roger Marshall, who said he talked with Trump on Friday night, said the effort is meant to “lower costs for American families and to reign in greedy credit card companies who have been ripping off hardworking Americans for too long.”
Legislation in both the House and the Senate would do what Trump is seeking.
Sens. Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley released a plan in February that would immediately cap interest rates at 10% for five years, hoping to use Trump’s campaign promise to build momentum for their measure.
Hours before Trump’s post, Sanders said that the president, rather than working to cap interest rates, had taken steps to deregulate big banks that allowed them to charge much higher credit card fees.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Anna Paulina Luna have proposed similar legislation. Ocasio-Cortez is a frequent political target of Trump, while Luna is a close ally of the president.
___
Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Kylie Jenner Shows Off Cleavage in Tight Leather Top While Promoting New Perfume
Top Univ. of Minn. grads are ‘as good, maybe better’ than Harvard’s best: former Goldman Sachs CEO
Thousands protest in Minneapolis after deadly ICE shooting as agents continue city-wide sweeps
-
Politics8 years agoCongress rolls out ‘Better Deal,’ new economic agenda
-
Entertainment8 years ago
New Season 8 Walking Dead trailer flashes forward in time
-
Politics8 years ago
Poll: Virginia governor’s race in dead heat
-
Entertainment8 years ago
The final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season
-
Politics8 years ago
Illinois’ financial crisis could bring the state to a halt
-
Entertainment8 years ago
Meet Superman’s grandfather in new trailer for Krypton
-
Business8 years ago
6 Stunning new co-working spaces around the globe
-
Tech8 years ago
Hulu hires Google marketing veteran Kelly Campbell as CMO