Florida HB 809: Temporary Certificates for Practice in Areas of Critical Need

Bill Text

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CS/HB 809 2026 Legislature

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

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An act relating to temporary certificates for practice 2
in areas of critical need; amending ss. 458.315, 3
459.0076, and 464.0121, F.S.; revising the conditions 4
under which the Board of Medicine, the Board of 5
Osteopathic Medicine, and the Board of Nursing, 6
respectively, may issue temporary certificates for 7
practice in areas of critical need; authorizing 8
certificateholders to continue primary care services 9
after such areas lose their critical need designation 10
under certain circumstances; providing an effective 11
date. 12
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
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Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section 16
458.315, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 17
458.315 Temporary certificate for practice in areas of 18
critical need.— 19
(3) The board may issue a temporary certificate under this 20
section subject to the following restrictions: 21
(c)1. Any certificate issued under this section is valid 22
only so long as one of the following conditions applies: 23
a. The State Surgeon General determines that the reason 24
for which it was issued remains a critical need to the state; or 25

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CS/HB 809 2026 Legislature

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

b. The certificate was issued for practice in an area of 26
critical need that has since lost its designation and the 27
certificateholder maintains an active primary care treatment 28
relationship in the area with one or more patients. In such 29
case, the certificateholder may continue providing primary care 30
services to patients in such area under the certificate if the 31
board finds that all other requirements are satisfied during its 32
review of the certificateholder. 33
2. The board shall review each temporary certificateholder 34
at least annually to ascertain that the certificateholder is 35
complying with the minimum requirements of the Medical Practice 36
Act and its adopted rules, as applicable to the 37
certificateholder. If it is determined that the 38
certificateholder is not meeting such minimum requirements, the 39
board must revoke such certificate or impose restrictions or 40
conditions, or both, as a condition of continued practice under 41
the certificate. 42
Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section 43
459.0076, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 44
459.0076 Temporary certificate for practice in areas of 45
critical need.— 46
(3) The board may issue this temporary certificate subject 47
to the following restrictions: 48
(c)1. Any certificate issued under this section is valid 49
only so long as one of the following conditions applies: 50

ENROLLED
CS/HB 809 2026 Legislature

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb809 -01-er
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

a. The State Surgeon General determines that the reason 51
for which it was issued remains a critical need to the state; or 52
b. The certificate was issued for practice in an area of 53
critical need that has since lost its designation and the 54
certificateholder maintains an active primary care treatment 55
relationship in the area with one or more patients. In such 56
case, the certificateholder may continue providing primary care 57
services to patients in such area under the certificate if the 58
board finds that all other requirements are satisfied during its 59
review of the certificateholder. 60
2. The board shall review each temporary certificateholder 61
at least annually to ascertain that the certificateholder is 62
complying with the minimum requirements of the Osteopathic 63
Medical Practice Act and its adopted rules, as applicable to the 64
certificateholder. If it is determined that the 65
certificateholder is not meeting such minimum requirements, the 66
board must revoke such certificate or impose restrictions or 67
conditions, or both, as a condition of continued practice under 68
the certificate. 69
Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section 70
464.0121, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 71
464.0121 Temporary certificate for practice in areas of 72
critical need.— 73
(3) The board may issue a temporary certificate under this 74
section subject to the following restrictions: 75

ENROLLED
CS/HB 809 2026 Legislature

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb809 -01-er
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(c)1. Any certificate issued under this section is valid 76
only so long as one of the following conditions applies: 77
a. The State Surgeon General maintains the determination 78
that the critical need that supported the issuance of the 79
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