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 department 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 department 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.