House Bill 0337

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 337

        By Representative Eggelletion






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to orthotics, prosthetics, and

  3         pedorthics; amending s. 468.805, F.S.; revising

  4         grandfathering requirements for licensure to

  5         practice orthotics, prosthetics, or pedorthics

  6         without meeting statutory educational

  7         requirements; repealing s. 1, ch. 99-158, Laws

  8         of Florida, relating to a deadline to apply for

  9         licensure to practice orthotics, prosthetics,

10         or pedorthics without meeting statutory

11         educational requirements; providing an

12         effective date.

13

14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

15

16         Section 1.  Section 468.805, Florida Statutes, is

17  amended to read:

18         468.805  Grandfathering.--

19         (1)(a)  A person who has practiced orthotics,

20  prosthetics, or pedorthics in this state for the required

21  period between since July 1, 1990, and March 1, 1998, who,

22  before October 1, 2000 March 1, 1998, applies to the

23  department for a license to practice orthotics, prosthetics,

24  or pedorthics, may be licensed as a prosthetist, an orthotist,

25  a prosthetist-orthotist, an orthotic fitter, an orthotic

26  fitter assistant, or a pedorthist, as applicable determined

27  from the person's experience, certification, and educational

28  preparation, without meeting the educational requirements set

29  forth in s. 468.803, upon receipt of the application fee and

30  licensing fee and after the board has completed an

31  investigation into the applicant's background and experience.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 337

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  1  The board shall require an application fee not to exceed $500,

  2  which shall be nonrefundable. The board shall complete its

  3  investigation within 6 months after receipt of the completed

  4  application.

  5         (b)  The period of experience required for licensure

  6  under this subsection section is 5 years for a prosthetist or

  7  an orthotist and; 2 years for an orthotic fitter, an orthotic

  8  fitter assistant, or a pedorthist. Each applicant shall

  9  document experience in the; and 5 years for an orthotist whose

10  scope of practice for the profession applied for as is defined

11  under s. 468.80(7).

12         (2)(a)  An applicant for licensure as an orthotist, a

13  prosthetist, or a prosthetist-orthotist who cannot demonstrate

14  5 years of experience as required by subsection (1), but who

15  has practiced as an orthotist, a prosthetist, or a

16  prosthetist-orthotist in this state for at least 2 years

17  between July 1, 1990, and March 1, 1998, and A person who has

18  received certification as an orthotist, a prosthetist, or a

19  prosthetist-orthotist from a national certifying body before

20  July 1, 1998, and who has practiced orthotics or prosthetics

21  in this state for at least 2 years but less than 5 years is

22  eligible for a provisional license.

23         (b)  An applicant for provisional licensure shall

24  submit proof that he or she has been actively practicing as a

25  nationally certified orthotist, prosthetist, or

26  prosthetist-orthotist, an application fee, and a provisional

27  license fee.

28         (b)(c)  A provisional licensee is required to practice

29  under supervision of a fully licensed orthotist, prosthetist,

30  or prosthetist-orthotist for up to 3 years in order to meet

31  the 5-year experience requirement of subsection (1) to be

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 337

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  1  licensed as an orthotist, a prosthetist, or a

  2  prosthetist-orthotist. The provisional licensee must

  3  demonstrate that the supervised practice includes experience

  4  in the scope of practice of the profession as defined under s.

  5  468.80.

  6         (d)  After appropriate investigation, the board shall

  7  license as an orthotist, prosthetist, or prosthetist-orthotist

  8  the provisional licensee who has successfully completed the

  9  period of experience required and otherwise meets the

10  requirements of subsection (1).

11         (e)  The board shall require an application fee, not to

12  exceed $500, which is nonrefundable, and a provisional

13  licensure fee, not to exceed $500.

14         (3)  Upon receipt of the nonrefundable application fee

15  and the appropriate licensing fee, the board shall complete an

16  investigation into the applicant's background and experience.

17  The board shall complete its investigation within 6 months

18  after receipt of the completed application. The 90-day period

19  for approval or denial of a license required under s. 120.60

20  does not apply to applications for licensure or provisional

21  licensure under this section.

22         (4)  The board by rule shall establish the following

23  fees not to exceed $500 each:

24         (a)  Application fee for licensure under subsection

25  (1).

26         (b)  Application fee for provisional licensure under

27  subsection (2).

28         (c)  Application fee for licensure following

29  provisional licensure under subsection (2).

30         (d)  Initial licensure fee.

31         (e)  Provisional licensure fee.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 337

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  1         (3)  An applicant who has received certification as an

  2  orthotist, a prosthetist, a prosthetist-orthotist, or a

  3  pedorthist from a national certifying body which requires the

  4  successful completion of an examination, may be licensed under

  5  this section without taking an additional examination. An

  6  applicant who has not received certification from a national

  7  certifying body which requires the successful completion of an

  8  examination shall be required to take an examination as

  9  determined by the board. This examination shall be designed to

10  determine if the applicant has the minimum qualifications

11  needed to be licensed under this section. The board may charge

12  an examination fee and the actual per applicant cost to the

13  department for purchase or development of the examination.

14         (4)  An applicant who successfully completed prior to

15  March 1, 1998, at least one-half of the examination required

16  for national certification and successfully completed the

17  remaining portion of the examination and became certified

18  prior to July 1, 1998, shall be considered as nationally

19  certified by March 1, 1998, for purposes of this section.

20         (5)  This section is repealed July 1, 2002.

21         Section 2.  Section 1 of chapter 99-158, Laws of

22  Florida, is repealed.

23         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

24  law.

25

26            *****************************************

27                          HOUSE SUMMARY

28
      Revises grandfathering requirements for licensure to
29    practice orthotics, prosthetics, or pedorthics without
      meeting statutory educational requirements, to extend the
30    date to apply for such licensure and to eliminate the
      examination requirement. See bill for details.
31

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