SB0138 • 2026

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Autonomous Practice

Education Healthcare

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Truenow
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Senate - Died in Health Policy
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on what services PMH-APRNs can or cannot perform independently, beyond the rule-making authority of the Board of Nursing.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Autonomous Practice

This bill allows certain advanced practice registered nurses to provide mental health services independently based on rules set by the Board of Nursing.

What This Bill Does

Allows psychiatric mental health advanced practice registered nurses (PMH-APRNs) to work autonomously in providing mental health care as defined by rule of the Board of Nursing.

Who It Names or Affects

Advanced practice registered nurses who are certified in psychiatric mental health care.
Patients seeking mental health services from PMH-APRNs.

Terms To Know

Autonomous Practice: The ability of a healthcare provider to work independently without direct supervision by another professional, such as a doctor.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN): A nurse with advanced education and training who can diagnose and treat medical conditions and prescribe medications.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only applies to APRNs certified in psychiatric mental health care.
Details of the rules for autonomous practice will be defined by the Board of Nursing after this law is passed.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Senate
• Died in Health Policy
2026-01-13 Senate
• Introduced
2025-10-21 Senate
• Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Rules
2025-10-08 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Autonomous Practice; Authorizing certain advanced practice registered nurses to engage in autonomous practice to provide mental health services as defined by rule of the Board of Nursing, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 138

By
Senator Truenow

13-00379-26 2026138__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to advanced practice registered nurse
3 autonomous practice; amending s. 464.0123, F.S.;
4 authorizing certain advanced practice registered
5 nurses to engage in autonomous practice to provide
6 mental health services as defined by rule of the Board
7 of Nursing; providing an effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
12 464.0123, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
13 464.0123 Autonomous practice by an advanced practice
14 registered nurse.—
15 (3) PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS.—
16 (a) An advanced practice registered nurse who is registered
17 under this section may:
18 1. Engage in autonomous practice only in primary care
19 practice, including family medicine, general pediatrics, and
20 general internal medicine, as defined by board rule.
If an

21
advanced practice registered nurse is certified as a psychiatric

22
mental health advanced practice nurse, he or she may engage in

23
autonomous practice to provide mental health services, as

24
defined by board rule.

25 2. For certified nurse midwives, engage in autonomous
26 practice in the performance of the acts listed in s.
27 464.012(4)(c).
28 3. Perform the general functions of an advanced practice
29 registered nurse under s. 464.012(3) related to primary care.
30 4. For a patient who requires the services of a health care
31 facility, as defined in s. 408.032(8):
32 a. Admit the patient to the facility.
33 b. Manage the care received by the patient in the facility.
34 c. Discharge the patient from the facility, unless
35 prohibited by federal law or rule.
36 5. Provide a signature, certification, stamp, verification,
37 affidavit, or endorsement that is otherwise required by law to
38 be provided by a physician, except an advanced practice
39 registered nurse registered under this section may not issue a
40 physician certification under s. 381.986.
41 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.