Florida Senate - 2026 SB 148 By Senator Harrell 31-00413-26 2026148__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to temporary licensure of 3 anesthesiologist assistants; amending ss. 458.3475 and 4 459.023, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health to 5 issue a temporary license to practice as an 6 anesthesiologist assistant to applicants meeting 7 specified criteria; providing for expiration of such 8 temporary licenses; providing that temporary licenses 9 are nonrenewable; providing that temporary licensees 10 may practice only under the direct supervision of an 11 anesthesiologist and pursuant to a written protocol; 12 requiring the Board of Medicine and the Board of 13 Osteopathic Medicine to adopt rules; providing an 14 effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18 Section 1. Present subsections (7) through (12) of section 19 458.3475, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (8) 20 through (13), respectively, and a new subsection (7) is added to 21 that section, to read: 22 458.3475 Anesthesiologist assistants.— 23 (7) TEMPORARY LICENSURE.— 24 (a) The department shall issue a temporary license to 25 practice as an anesthesiologist assistant to an applicant who 26 meets all of the following criteria: 27 1. Has graduated from an approved anesthesiologist 28 assistant program. 29 2. Has applied for and is awaiting results of the 30 certification examination administered by the National 31 Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants. 32 3. Has submitted a completed application for licensure and 33 paid all applicable fees. 34 4. Has not committed any act or offense that would 35 constitute grounds for denial of licensure under this chapter. 36 5. Has submitted to a background screening pursuant to s. 37 456.0135. 38 (b) A temporary license issued under this subsection: 39 1. Is valid for a period not to exceed 180 days after the 40 date of issuance. 41 2. Is nonrenewable. 42 3. Automatically expires upon the applicant’s passage of 43 the certification examination and issuance of a full license, or 44 upon the applicant’s failure of the certification examination. 45 (c) A temporary licensee may practice only under the direct 46 supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist who has filed a 47 written protocol with the department in accordance with 48 subsection (2). 49 (d) The boards shall adopt rules to implement this 50 subsection, including application procedures and supervision 51 requirements. 52 Section 2. Present subsections (7) through (12) of section 53 459.023, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (8) 54 through (13), respectively, and a new subsection (7) is added to 55 that section, to read: 56 459.023 Anesthesiologist assistants.— 57 (7) TEMPORARY LICENSURE.— 58 (a) The department shall issue a temporary license to 59 practice as an anesthesiologist assistant to an applicant who 60 meets all of the following criteria: 61 1. Has graduated from an approved anesthesiologist 62 assistant program. 63 2. Has applied for and is awaiting results of the 64 certification examination administered by the National 65 Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants. 66 3. Has submitted a completed application for licensure and 67 paid all applicable fees. 68 4. Has not committed any act or offense that would 69 constitute grounds for denial of licensure under this chapter. 70 5. Has submitted to a background screening pursuant to s. 71 456.0135. 72 (b) A temporary license issued under this subsection: 73 1. Is valid for a period not to exceed 180 days after the 74 date of issuance. 75 2. Is nonrenewable. 76 3. Automatically expires upon the applicant’s passage of 77 the certification examination and issuance of a full license, or 78 upon the applicant’s failure of the certification examination. 79 (c) A temporary licensee may practice only under the direct 80 supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist who has filed a 81 written protocol with the department in accordance with 82 subsection (2). 83 (d) The boards shall adopt rules to implement this 84 subsection, including application procedures and supervision 85 requirements. 86 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.