Florida Senate - 2026                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 36
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì606532ÇÎ606532                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: WD            .                                
                  02/12/2026           .                                
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       The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services
       (Sharief) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsections (8) and (10) of section 464.015,
    6  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
    7         464.015 Titles and abbreviations; restrictions; penalty.—
    8         (8) Only persons who hold valid licenses to practice as
    9  advanced practice registered nurses in this state may use the
   10  title “Advanced Practice Registered Nurse” and the abbreviation
   11  “A.P.R.N.”
   12         (a) A licensed advanced practice registered nurse who also
   13  holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree or a Doctor of Nursing
   14  Practice degree may use the title “Doctor of Philosophy” and the
   15  abbreviation “Ph.D.,” or the title “Doctor of Nursing Practice”
   16  and the abbreviation “D.N.P.,” respectively, in a manner
   17  consistent with the doctoral degree such person holds.
   18         (b) A person authorized under paragraph (a) to use a title
   19  or abbreviation associated with a doctoral degree may not hold
   20  himself or herself out to a patient, a prospective patient, or
   21  the public at large as a doctor without using such title or
   22  abbreviation authorized under paragraph (a) or clearly
   23  specifying his or her licensed profession.
   24         (10) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor of the
   25  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
   26  775.083, except for violations of paragraphs (8)(a) or (b).
   27  Violations of paragraphs (8)(a) or (b) constitute grounds for
   28  disciplinary action under s. 464.018(1)(o).
   29         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
   30  
   31  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   32  And the title is amended as follows:
   33         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   34  and insert:
   35                        A bill to be entitled                      
   36         An act relating to the use of professional nursing
   37         titles; amending s. 464.015, F.S.; providing that
   38         licensed advanced practice registered nurses who hold
   39         specified degrees may use titles and abbreviations
   40         associated with those degrees in a specified manner;
   41         prohibiting such persons from holding themselves out
   42         to a patient, a prospective patient, or the public at
   43         large as a doctor under certain circumstances;
   44         providing for disciplinary action; providing an
   45         effective date.