Florida Senate - 2019              PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
       Bill No. CS for SB 1620
       
       
       
       
       
                               Ì903010SÎ903010                          
       
       576-04436-19                                                    
       Proposed Committee Substitute by the Committee on Appropriations
       (Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services)
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to health care licensure requirements;
    3         creating s. 456.0231, F.S.; defining the term
    4         “physician”; authorizing the Department of Health to
    5         exempt certain physicians from specified licensing
    6         requirements when providing certain services to
    7         veterans in this state; requiring such physicians
    8         seeking the exemption to submit specified
    9         documentation to the department; requiring the
   10         department to notify such physicians within a
   11         specified timeframe that the exemption has been
   12         granted; specifying notice requirements; providing for
   13         revocation, expiration, or renewal of the exemption
   14         under certain conditions; authorizing the department
   15         to adopt rules; providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Section 456.0231, Florida Statutes, is created
   20  to read:
   21         456.0231 Exemption from health care licensure requirements
   22  for physicians who treat veterans.—
   23         (1) As used in this section, the term “physician” means a
   24  person who holds an active, unencumbered license to practice
   25  allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine issued by another
   26  state; the District of Columbia; or a possession, commonwealth,
   27  or territory of the United States.
   28         (2) The department may grant an exemption from the
   29  licensure requirements of chapters 458 and 459 to a physician
   30  who requests the exemption and who submits to the department all
   31  of the following:
   32         (a) Proof that he or she holds an active, unencumbered
   33  license to practice allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine
   34  issued by another state; the District of Columbia; or a
   35  possession, commonwealth, or territory of the United States.
   36         (b) Proof of current employment as a physician with the
   37  United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
   38         (c) A notarized attestation, on a form developed by the
   39  department, that under any exemption or renewal granted under
   40  this section, he or she will provide medical services to
   41  veterans exclusively, under one or more of the following
   42  conditions:
   43         1. Pursuant to his or her employment as a physician with
   44  the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
   45         2. In a hospital licensed under chapter 395 while remaining
   46  employed as a physician by the United States Department of
   47  Veterans Affairs.
   48         (3) The department shall notify a physician seeking
   49  exemption under this section within 15 business days after
   50  receipt of the documentation required under subsection (2) that
   51  the physician has been granted an exemption from the licensure
   52  requirements of chapters 458 and 459. The notification must
   53  include the conditions and requirements specified in subsection
   54  (4).
   55         (4) An exemption granted under this section:
   56         (a) Is contingent upon the physician remaining employed by
   57  the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and is
   58  otherwise invalid. A physician granted an exemption under this
   59  section shall notify the department within 15 business days
   60  after his or her employment with the United States Department of
   61  Veterans Affairs is terminated. Upon receipt of such
   62  notification, the department shall revoke the exemption.
   63         (b) Expires 24 months after being granted, unless the
   64  exemption is revoked or rendered invalid earlier under paragraph
   65  (a) or is renewed. An exempted physician may apply for exemption
   66  renewal by providing updated proof consistent with the proof
   67  required under paragraphs (2)(a) and (2)(b) within a timeframe
   68  determined by the department.
   69         (5) The department may adopt rules to administer this
   70  section.
   71         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.