Florida Senate - 2026 SB 844
By Senator Jones
34-01011-26 2026844__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to sickle cell disease care management
3 and treatment continuing education; amending s.
4 456.0301, F.S.; revising requirements for a continuing
5 education course on prescribing controlled substances
6 which health care practitioners are required to
7 complete; creating s. 456.0311, F.S.; requiring the
8 applicable licensing boards for specified health care
9 professions to require a 2-hour continuing education
10 course on sickle cell disease care management as part
11 of the first licensure or certification renewal;
12 specifying requirements for the course; specifying the
13 procedure for licensees and certificateholders to
14 submit confirmation of completing the course;
15 authorizing the applicable boards to approve
16 additional equivalent courses to satisfy the
17 requirement; authorizing the applicable boards to
18 include the course hours in the total hours of
19 continuing education required for the applicable
20 profession, with an exception; authorizing health care
21 practitioners holding two or more licenses or
22 certificates subject to the course requirement to show
23 proof of completion of one course to satisfy the
24 requirement for all such licenses or certificates;
25 providing for disciplinary action; authorizing the
26 applicable boards to adopt rules; providing an
27 effective date.
28
29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
30
31 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
32 456.0301, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
33 456.0301 Requirement for instruction on controlled
34 substance prescribing.—
35 (1)(a) The appropriate board shall require each person
36 registered with the United States Drug Enforcement
37 Administration and authorized to prescribe controlled substances
38 pursuant to 21 U.S.C. s. 822 to complete a board-approved 2-hour
39 continuing education course on prescribing controlled substances
40 offered by a statewide professional association of physicians in
41 this state that is accredited to provide educational activities
42 designated for the American Medical Association Physician’s
43 Recognition Award Category 1 Credit or the American Osteopathic
44 Category 1-A continuing medical education credit as part of
45 biennial license renewal. The course must include information on
46 the current standards for prescribing controlled substances,
47 particularly opiates; alternatives to these standards;
48 nonpharmacological therapies; prescribing emergency opioid
49 antagonists; and the risks of opioid addiction following all
50 stages of treatment in the management of acute pain; and the
51 treatment of pain for patients with sickle cell disease. The
52 course may be offered in a distance learning format and must be
53 included within the number of continuing education hours
54 required by law. The department may not renew the license of any
55 prescriber registered with the United States Drug Enforcement
56 Administration to prescribe controlled substances who has failed
57 to complete the course. The course must be completed by January
58 31, 2019, and at each subsequent renewal. This paragraph does
59 not apply to a licensee who is required by his or her applicable
60 practice act to complete a minimum of 2 hours of continuing
61 education on the safe and effective prescribing of controlled
62 substances.
63 Section 2. Section 456.0311, Florida Statutes, is created
64 to read:
65 456.0311 Requirements for instruction on sickle cell
66 disease.—
67 (1)(a) The applicable board shall require each person
68 licensed or certified under chapter 458, chapter 459, or part I
69 of chapter 464 to complete one 2-hour continuing education
70 course, approved by the applicable board, on sickle cell disease
71 care management as part of the first licensure or certification
72 renewal. The course must consist of education specific to sickle
73 cell disease and sickle cell traits, including, but not limited
74 to, evidence-based treatment protocols for patients of all ages,
75 continuing patient and family education, periodic comprehensive
76 evaluations and other disease-specific health maintenance
77 services, psychosocial care, genetic counseling, and pain
78 management.
79 (b) Each licensee or certificateholder must submit
80 confirmation of having completed such course on a form provided
81 by the applicable board when submitting fees for the first
82 renewal.
83 (c) The applicable board may approve additional equivalent
84 courses that may be used to satisfy the requirements of
85 paragraph (a). Each licensing board that requires a licensee to
86 complete an educational course pursuant to this section may
87 include the hours required for completion of the course in the
88 total hours of continuing education required by law for such
89 profession unless the continuing education requirements for such
90 profession consist of fewer than 30 hours biennially.
91 (d) Any person holding two or more licenses subject to the
92 provisions of this section may show proof of having taken one
93 board-approved course to satisfy the requirements of paragraph
94 (a) for purposes of relicensure or recertification for
95 additional licenses.
96 (e) Failure to comply with the requirements of this section
97 shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action under each
98 respective practice act and under s. 456.072(1)(k). In addition
99 to discipline by the applicable board, the licensee shall be
100 required to complete the course required under this section.
101 (2) Each applicable board may adopt rules to implement this
102 section.
103 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.