The Florida Senate

483.812  Public health laboratory scientists; licensure.--

(1)  Applicants at the director level in the category of public health shall qualify under s. 483.824

(2)  Applicants at the supervisor level in the category of public health who are certified by the National Registry in Clinical Chemistry or the American Society for Microbiology, licensed as a technologist, and have 5 years of pertinent clinical laboratory experience may qualify by passing the state-administered supervision and administration examination.

(3)(a)  A technologist applicant for licensure in the category of public health microbiology, with a baccalaureate degree in one of the biological sciences from an accredited institution, may use the American Society for Microbiology or the National Registry in Microbiology Certification in Public Health Microbiology to qualify for a technologist license in public health microbiology. Such a technologist may work in a public health microbiology laboratory.

(b)  A technologist applicant for licensure in the category of public health chemistry, with a baccalaureate degree in one of the chemical, biological, or physical sciences from an accredited institution, may use the National Registry of Clinical Chemistry Certification to qualify for a technologist license in public health chemistry. Such a technologist may work in a public health chemistry laboratory.

(c)  A technician applicant for licensure in the category of public health, with a baccalaureate degree in one of the chemical or biological sciences from an accredited institution, may obtain a 2-year conditional public health technician license, which may be renewed once. Such a technician may perform testing only under the direct supervision of a licensed pathologist, director, supervisor, or technologist.

(4)  A person licensed by the Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel may work in a public health laboratory at the appropriate level and specialty.

History.--s. 166, ch. 97-264; s. 148, ch. 99-397.