Florida HB 223: Naturopathic Medicine

Bill Text

CS/HB 223 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb223-01-c1
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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 bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to naturopathic medicine; renaming ch. 2
462, F.S., as "Naturopathic Medicine"; creating s. 3
462.001, F.S.; providing legislative findings and 4
purpose; creating s. 462.002, F.S.; providing 5
applicability and construction; renumbering and 6
amending s. 462.01, F.S.; revising and providing 7
definitions; creating s. 462.004, F.S.; creating the 8
Board of Naturopathic Medicine within the Department 9
of Health; providing for membership of the board; 10
renumbering and amending s. 462.023, F.S.; authorizing 11
the board to adopt rules; deleting obsolete language; 12
creating s. 462.006, F.S.; prohibiting an unlicensed 13
person from practicing naturopathic medicine or using 14
specified titles or abbreviations; providing 15
construction; providing penalties; creating s. 16
462.007, F.S.; providing for licensure by examination 17
of naturopathic doctors; requiring the department and 18
the board to use an investigative process that meets 19
certain criteria; authorizing the State Surgeon 20
General or her or his designee to issue a 90-day 21
licensure delay under certain circumstances; providing 22
construction; prohibiting the board from certifying 23
for licensure certain applicants until a certain 24
investigation is completed; providing applicability; 25

CS/HB 223 2026

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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

authorizing the board to enter an order imposing 26
certain sanctions against or conditions on an 27
applicant under certain circumstances; creating s. 28
462.008, F.S.; providing for licensure by endorsement 29
of naturopathic doctors; renumbering and amending s. 30
462.08, F.S.; revising requirements for licensure 31
renewal for naturopathic doctors; requiring the 32
department to adopt rules; renumbering and amending s. 33
462.18, F.S.; revising continuing education 34
requirements for naturopathic doctors; requiring 35
naturopathic doctors to use the department's 36
electronic continuing education tracking system to 37
demonstrate compliance with continuing education 38
requirements; renumbering and amending s. 462.19, 39
F.S.; revising provisions related to reactivation of 40
inactive naturopathic doctor licenses; requiring the 41
board to adopt certain rules; renumbering and amending 42
s. 462.14, F.S.; revising grounds for disciplinary 43
action; repealing s. 462.17, F.S.; relating to penalty 44
for offenses relating to naturopathy; amending ss. 45
20.43, 381.0031, 468.301, 476.044, 477.0135, 485.003, 46
486.161, 627.351, 893.02, and 921.0022, F.S.; 47
conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 48
providing an effective date. 49
50

CS/HB 223 2026

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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

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 51
52
Section 1. Chapter 462, Florida Statutes, entitled 53
"Naturopathy," is redesignated as "Naturopathic Medicine." 54
Section 2. Section 462.001, Florida Statutes, is created 55
to read: 56
462.001 Legislative findings; purpose.—The Legislature 57
finds that the interest of public health requires modernization 58
of regulation related to naturopathy in this state. Since 1927, 59
when Florida first regulated naturopathy, the profession and its 60
role within the healthcare industry have evolved including the 61
distinction that exists today between naturopathy and 62
naturopathic medicine, and this chapter reflects that evolution. 63
It is the intent of the Legislature to free naturopathy in this 64
state by removing the near total ban on the profession that has 65
been in place since 1959 by ensuring: 66
(1) Naturopathy is offered by naturopaths in this state. 67
(2) Naturopathic medicine is practiced in this state by 68
issuing licenses to naturopathic doctors who meet clear 69
standards of education and training, and who are held 70
accountable for safe practice. 71
Section 3. Section 462.002, Florida Statutes, is created 72
to read: 73
462.002 Exceptions.— 74
(1) This chapter does not apply to: 75

CS/HB 223 2026

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(a) Other duly licensed health care practitioners acting 76
within their respective scopes of practice, as authorized by 77
general law. 78
(b) Students practicing under the direct supervision of a 79
licensed naturopathic doctor as part of a preceptorship program 80
while enrolled in a college or university program that is 81
accredited by, or has candidacy status with, the Council on 82
Naturopathic Medical Education or an equivalent accrediting