Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1034
By
Senator Calatayud
38-00894A-26 20261034__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to central service technician
3 services; creating s. 395.1075, F.S.; providing
4 legislative purpose and intent; defining the terms
5 “central service technician” and “health care
6 practitioner”; requiring that licensed hospitals and
7 ambulatory surgical centers employ or otherwise retain
8 the services of a central service technician only if
9 he or she meets specified criteria; requiring central
10 service technicians who do not meet specified criteria
11 to obtain a certain certification within a specified
12 timeframe as a condition of continued employment;
13 requiring central service technicians to complete a
14 specified number of continuing education hours
15 annually as a condition of continued employment;
16 providing a requirement for such continuing education;
17 requiring that licensed hospitals and ambulatory
18 surgical centers, upon the written request of a
19 central service technician, verify in writing the
20 technician’s dates of employment or contract period
21 with the facility; providing applicability; providing
22 an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Section 395.1075, Florida Statutes, is created
27 to read:
28
395.1075
Central service technician services.—
29
(1)
LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE AND INTENT.—The legislative purpose
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for enacting this section is to ensure that every new central
31
service technician employed by a hospital or an ambulatory
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surgical center in this state meets minimum requirements for
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safe practice as a member of the surgical care team. It is the
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intent of the Legislature that central service technicians who
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fall below minimum competency or who otherwise present a danger
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to public health and safety be prohibited from practicing in
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this state.
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(2)
DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
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(a)
“Central service technician” means a person who
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decontaminates, inspects, assembles, disassembles, packages, and
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sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices for use by a
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licensed facility.
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(b)
“Health care practitioner” has the same meaning as in
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s. 456.001.
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(3)
CERTIFICATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR
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CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIANS.—
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(a)
A licensed facility shall employ or otherwise retain
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the services of a central service technician only if such person
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has successfully passed a nationally accredited exam for central
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service technicians and meets at least one of the following
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criteria:
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1.
Holds and maintains a certified registered central
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service technician credential issued by a nationally accredited
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central service credentialing organization.
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2.
Holds and maintains a certified sterile processing and
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distribution technician credential issued by a nationally
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accredited central service credentialing organization.
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3.
Provides evidence that he or she was employed by, or
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provided services of a central service technician to, a licensed
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facility on or before December 31, 2026.
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(b)
A central service technician who does not meet the
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requirements of paragraph (a) must obtain the required certified
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registered central service technician credential or certified
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sterile processing and distribution technician credential within
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18 months after his or her date of hire in order to continue
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employment as a central service technician.
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(c)
A person who qualifies under paragraph (a) to practice
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as a central service technician in a licensed facility must
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complete at least 10 hours of continuing education annually to
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continue employment as a central service technician. The
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continuing education must be related to the functions of a
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central service technician.
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(d)
A licensed facility shall, upon the written request of
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a central service technician, verify, in writing, the central
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service technician’s dates of employment or the contract period
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during which the central service technician provided services to
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the licensed facility.
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(4)
EXEMPTIONS.—This section does not apply to:
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(a)
A health care practitioner if he or she is acting
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within the scope of his or her license or certification.
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(b)
A student or an intern if he or she is performing the
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functions of a central service technician under the direct
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supervision of a health care practitioner as part of the
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student’s or intern’s training or internship.
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(c)
A person who holds and maintains a registration,
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certification, or license from a nationally accredited
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credentialing organization to perform health services.
88 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.