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.