FloridaFlorida law lets temporary certificateholders keep treating patients after need ends
Doctors and nurses may keep treating primary care patients in an area after it loses its critical-need designation, if the board finds they meet all other requirements.
What it does
Doctors and nurses may continue primary care in an area that loses its critical-need designation if they have an active patient relationship there and the board finds they meet all other requirements.
Boards must review temporary certificateholders at least yearly. If someone fails to meet minimum practice requirements, the board must revoke the certificate or set limits on continued practice.
Argument forPatients may be able to keep seeing a familiar primary care provider after an area loses its designation, if the board finds the provider meets all other requirements.
Argument againstPatients could lose access to a familiar primary care provider if the area loses its designation and the board finds the provider does not meet its requirements.
More detail
The law allows a temporary certificateholder to continue providing primary care after an area loses its critical-need designation. This applies to doctors, osteopathic doctors, and nurses who hold temporary certificates for practice in areas of critical need. The certificateholder must have an active primary care relationship with at least one patient in that area. The board must find that all other requirements are met during its review. This applies after the area loses its designation, subject to the board’s review.
The boards must review each temporary certificateholder at least annually and revoke the certificate or impose limits if the person fails to meet minimum practice requirements. This applies to temporary certificateholders under the medical, osteopathic medical, and nursing laws. If a certificateholder fails to meet the minimum requirements, the board must revoke the certificate or impose restrictions or conditions, or both. Each certificateholder must be reviewed at least once a year.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 26Chapter No. 2026-108Latest
- May 22Approved by Governor Ron DeSantisBecame Law
- May 21Signed by Officers and presented to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 6Ordered enrolledMinor
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6In Messages
- Mar 6CS passed; YEAS 34 NAYS 0Passed Senate
- Mar 6Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 6Read 2nd timeMinor
- Mar 6Substituted for CS/SB 1480
- Mar 6Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
- Mar 6Withdrawn from RulesMajor
- Mar 3ReceivedMinor
- Vote recorded Passage, Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 3Referred to RulesMinor
- Mar 3In Messages
- Mar 3CS passed; YEAS 110, NAYS 0Passed House
- Mar 3Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 3Added to Third Reading Calendar
- Mar 3Read 2nd timeMinor
- Feb 26Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/3/2026)
- Feb 18Added to Second Reading Calendar
- Vote recorded Favorable (Health & Human Services Committee). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 18Bill released to House Calendar
- Feb 18Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee
- Feb 18Favorable by Health & Human Services CommitteeMinor
- Feb 16Added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda
- Feb 6Now in Health & Human Services Committee
- Feb 6Referred to Health & Human Services CommitteeMinor
- Feb 41st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)Minor
- Feb 4CS FiledMinor
- Feb 4Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)Minor
- Feb 4Reported out of Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
- Feb 3Favorable with CS by Health Professions & Programs SubcommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded Favorable (Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 30PCS added to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee agenda
- Jan 131st Reading (Original Filed Version)Minor
- Jan 5Now in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
- Jan 5Referred to Health & Human Services CommitteeMinor
- Jan 5Referred to Health Professions & Programs SubcommitteeMinor
- 2025
- Dec 17FiledIntroduced
Healthcare