HB0353 • 2026

Sickle Cell Disease Treatment of Pain Continuing Education

Education Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee ; Robinson, F. ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Bartleman ; Campbell ; Hunschofsky ; Maney
Last action: 2026-03-11
Official status: House - Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 844
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official text retains an old deadline date ('January 31, 2019') alongside the new effective date of July 1, 2026. It is unclear if this creates a conflict or if the 2019 date remains relevant for specific legacy cases.

Sickle Cell Disease Pain Treatment Training for Prescribers

This law requires prescribers of controlled substances in Florida to complete a two-hour continuing education course that includes training on treating pain for patients with sickle cell disease.

What This Bill Does

Requires registered prescribers of controlled substances to finish a board-approved, two-hour continuing education course every two years as part of license renewal.
Mandates the course covers current standards for prescribing controlled substances (especially opiates), alternatives to those drugs, non-drug therapies, emergency opioid antidotes, and risks of addiction.
Includes specific instruction on treating pain for patients with sickle cell disease within the required curriculum.
Allows prescribers to take this course through distance learning methods like online classes.

Who It Names or Affects

Prescribers registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration who are authorized to prescribe controlled substances in Florida.
State licensing boards that approve and oversee continuing education courses for medical professionals.

Terms To Know

Continuing Education: Required training classes that licensed professionals must take to keep their licenses active.
Controlled Substances: Drugs regulated by the government because they can be addictive or misused, such as opioids.
Sickle Cell Disease: A genetic blood disorder that causes red blood cells to become shaped like sickles and often leads to severe pain episodes.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not apply if a prescriber is already required by their specific practice act to complete two hours of training on safe prescribing.
While the text mentions an old deadline of January 31, 2019, this bill sets a new effective date of July 1, 2026.

Bill History

2026-03-11 House
• Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 844
2026-02-25 House
• Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee • Bill released to House Calendar • Added to Second Reading Calendar
2026-02-24 House
• Favorable by Health & Human Services Committee
2026-02-20 House
• Added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda
2026-02-12 House
• Referred to Health & Human Services Committee • Now in Health & Human Services Committee
2026-02-11 House
• Favorable with CS by Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee • Reported out of Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed • 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2026-02-09 House
• PCS added to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee agenda
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-11-12 House
• Referred to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee • Referred to Health & Human Services Committee • Now in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
2025-11-05 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Sickle Cell Disease Treatment of Pain Continuing Education; Revises requirements for continuing education course on prescribing controlled substances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

CS/HB 353 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb353-01-c1
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to sickle cell disease treatment of 2
pain continuing education; amending s. 456.0301, F.S.; 3
revising requirements for a continuing education 4
course on prescribing controlled substances; providing 5
an effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
9
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 10
456.0301, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 11
456.0301 Requirement for instruction on controlled 12
substance prescribing.— 13
(1)(a) The appropriate board shall require each person 14
registered with the United States Drug Enforcement 15
Administration and authorized to prescribe controlled substances 16
pursuant to 21 U.S.C. s. 822 to complete a board-approved 2-hour 17
continuing education course on prescribing controlled substances 18
offered by a statewide professional association of physicians in 19
this state that is accredited to provide educational activities 20
designated for the American Medical Association Physician's 21
Recognition Award Category 1 Credit or the American Osteopathic 22
Category 1-A continuing medical education credit as part of 23
biennial license renewal. The course must include information on 24
the current standards for prescribing controlled substances, 25

CS/HB 353 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb353-01-c1
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

particularly opiates; alternatives to these standards; 26
nonpharmacological therapies; prescribing emergency opioid 27
antagonists; and the risks of opioid addiction following all 28
stages of treatment in the management of acute pain; and the 29
treatment of pain for patients with sickle cell disease. The 30
course may be offered in a distance learning format and must be 31
included within the number of continuing education hours 32
required by law. The department may not renew the license of any 33
prescriber registered with the United States Drug Enforcement 34
Administration to prescribe controlled substances who has failed 35
to complete the course. The course must be completed by January 36
31, 2019, and at each subsequent renewal. This paragraph does 37
not apply to a licensee who is required by his or her applicable 38
practice act to complete a minimum of 2 hours of continuing 39
education on the safe and effective prescribing of controlled 40
substances. 41
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 42