HB1371 • 2026

Provisional Licensure of Anesthesiologist Assistants

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Antone
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes some speculative elements and broad claims about the bill's effects which are not supported by the official source material.

Provisional Licensure of Anesthesiologist Assistants

This bill allows the Department of Health to issue provisional licenses to anesthesiologist assistants who meet certain criteria and requires them to work under a licensed anesthesiologist's direct supervision.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Health to give provisional licenses to applicants meeting specified criteria, including graduation from an approved program, application for certification exam results, submission of completed licensure applications with fees, no grounds for denial of licensure, and background screening compliance.
Limits these provisional licenses to last no more than 180 days after issuance and not be renewed.
Says that a person with a provisional license must work under the direct supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist who has filed a written protocol with the department.
Requires the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine to adopt rules regarding application procedures and supervision requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

Applicants for provisional licenses as anesthesiologist assistants.
Licensed anesthesiologists who supervise those with provisional licenses.
The Department of Health, which will issue these provisional licenses.
The Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine, which will adopt rules regarding the issuance and supervision requirements.

Terms To Know

Anesthesiologist Assistant: A healthcare professional who works closely with anesthesiologists to provide patient care during medical procedures.
Provisional License: A short-term permit that allows someone to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant while waiting for their full certification or license.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact criteria beyond those listed in the official text.
It is unclear how many applicants will meet these provisional licensure requirements and receive licenses.
There are no details on specific fees associated with obtaining a provisional license.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
2026-01-15 House
• Referred to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee • Referred to Health Care Budget Subcommittee • Referred to Health & Human Services Committee • Now in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2026-01-09 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Provisional Licensure of Anesthesiologist Assistants; Requires DOH to issue provisional license to practice as anesthesiologist assistant to applicants meeting specified criteria; requires provisional licensee to work under direct supervision of licensed anesthesiologist; provides for expiration of provisional license; requires provisional licensee to immediately inform his or her employer & cease practice upon notification of failure to pass certifying examination; provides exception; provides that provisional licenses are nonrenewable; requires Board of Medicine & Board of Osteopathic Medicine to adopt rules.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 1371 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1371-00
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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 temporary licensure of 2
anesthesiologist assistants; amending ss. 458.3475 and 3
459.023, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health to 4
issue a temporary license to practice as an 5
anesthesiologist assistant to applicants meeting 6
specified criteria; providing for expiration of such 7
temporary licenses; providing that temporary licenses 8
are nonrenewable; providing that temporary licensees 9
may practice only under the direct supervision of an 10
anesthesiologist and pursuant to a written protocol; 11
requiring the Board of Medicine and the Board of 12
Osteopathic Medicine to adopt rules; providing an 13
effective date. 14
15
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16
17
Section 1. Present subsections (7) through (12) of section 18
458.3475, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (8) 19
through (13), respectively, and a new subsection (7) is added to 20
that section, to read: 21
458.3475 Anesthesiologist assistants.— 22
(7) TEMPORARY LICENSURE.— 23
(a) The department shall issue a temporary license to 24
practice as an anesthesiologist assistant to an applicant who 25

HB 1371 2026

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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

meets all of the following criteria: 26
1. Has graduated from an approved anesthesiologist 27
assistant program. 28
2. Has applied for and is awaiting results of the 29
certification examination administered by the National 30
Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants. 31
3. Has submitted a completed application for licensure and 32
paid all applicable fees. 33
4. Has not committed any act or offense that would 34
constitute grounds for denial of licensure under this chapter. 35
5. Has submitted to a background screening pursuant to s. 36
456.0135. 37
(b) A temporary license issued under this subsection: 38
1. Is valid for a period not to exceed 180 days after the 39
date of issuance. 40
2. Is nonrenewable. 41
3. Automatically expires upon the applicant's passage of 42
the certification examination and issuance of a full license, or 43
upon the applicant's failure of the certification examination. 44
(c) A temporary licensee may practice only under the 45
direct supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist who has filed 46
a written protocol with the department in accordance with 47
subsection (2). 48
(d) The boards shall adopt rules to implement this 49
subsection, including application procedures and supervision 50

HB 1371 2026

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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

requirements. 51
Section 2. Present subsections (7) through (12) of section 52
459.023, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (8) 53
through (13), respectively, and a new subsection (7) is added to 54
that section, to read: 55
459.023 Anesthesiologist assistants.— 56
(7) TEMPORARY LICENSURE.— 57
(a) The department shall issue a temporary license to 58
practice as an anesthesiologist assistant to an applicant who 59
meets all of the following criteria: 60
1. Has graduated from an approved anesthesiologist 61
assistant program. 62
2. Has applied for and is awaiting results of the 63
certification examination administered by the National 64
Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants. 65
3. Has submitted a completed application for licensure and 66
paid all applicable fees. 67
4. Has not committed any act or offense that would 68
constitute grounds for denial of licensure under this chapter. 69
5. Has submitted to a background screening pursuant to s. 70
456.0135. 71
(b) A temporary license issued under this subsection: 72
1. Is valid for a period not to exceed 180 days after the 73
date of issuance. 74
2. Is nonrenewable. 75

HB 1371 2026

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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

3. Automatically expires upon the applicant's passage of 76
the certification examination and issuance of a full license, or 77
upon the applicant's failure of the certification examination. 78
(c) A temporary licensee may practice only under the 79
direct supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist who has filed 80
a written protocol with the department in accordance with 81
subsection (2). 82
(d) The boards shall adopt rules to implement this 83
subsection, including application procedures and supervision 84
requirements. 85
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 86