Read the full stored bill text
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
d
epartment 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
d
epartment 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.