HB 1133 2023
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hb1133-00
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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 physician assistant licensure; 2
amending ss. 458.347 and 459.022 F.S.; revising 3
requirements for an applicant for licensure as a 4
physician assistant; providing an effective date. 5
6
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 7
8
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section 9
458.347, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 10
458.347 Physician assistants. — 11
(6) PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT LICENSURE. — 12
(a) Any person desiring to be licensed as a physician 13
assistant must apply to the department. The department shall 14
issue a license to any person certified by the council as having 15
met all of the following requirements: 16
1. Is at least 18 years of age. 17
2. Has completed graduated from an approved program. 18
a. For an applicant who matriculated graduated after 19
December 31, 2020, has received a master's degree in accordance 20
with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for t he 21
Physician Assistant or, before 2001, its equivalent or 22
predecessor organization . 23
b. For an applicant who graduated on or before December 24
31, 2020, has received a bachelor's or master's degree from an 25
HB 1133 2023
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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
approved program. 26
c. For an applicant who graduat ed before July 1, 1994, has 27
graduated from an approved program of instruction in primary 28
health care or surgery. 29
d. For an applicant who graduated before July 1, 1983, has 30
received a certification as a physician assistant from the 31
boards. 32
b.e. The board may also grant a license to an applicant 33
who does not meet the educational requirement specified in this 34
subparagraph but who has passed the Physician Assistant National 35
Certifying Examination administered by the National Commission 36
on Certification of P hysician Assistants before 1986. 37
3. Has obtained a passing score as established by the 38
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or 39
its equivalent or successor organization and has been nationally 40
certified. If an applicant does not ho ld a current certificate 41
issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician 42
Assistants or its equivalent or successor organization and has 43
not actively practiced as a physician assistant within the 44
immediately preceding 4 years, the applicant must retake and 45
successfully complete the entry -level examination of the 46
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or 47
its equivalent or successor organization to be eligible for 48
licensure. 49
4. Has completed the application form and remitted an 50
HB 1133 2023
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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
application fee not to exceed $300 as set by the boards. An 51
application for licensure as a physician assistant must include: 52
a. A diploma from an approved program. 53
b. Acknowledgment of any prior fe lony convictions. 54
c. Acknowledgment of any previous revocation or denial of 55
licensure or certification in any state. 56
Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section 57
459.022, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 58
459.022 Physician assistants. — 59
(6) PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT LICENSURE. — 60
(a) Any person desiring to be licensed as a physician 61
assistant must apply to the department. The department shall 62
issue a license to any person certified by the council as having 63
met all of the following requiremen ts: 64
1. Is at least 18 years of age. 65
2. Has matriculated graduated from an approved program. 66
a. For an applicant who matriculated graduated after 67
December 31, 2020, has received a master's degree in accordance 68
with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the 69
Physician Assistant or, before 2001, its equivalent or 70
predecessor organization . 71
b. For an applicant who matriculated graduated on or 72
before December 31, 2020, has received a bachelor's or master's 73
degree from an approved program. 74
c. For an applicant who matriculated graduated before July 75
HB 1133 2023
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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
1, 1994, has graduated from an approved program of instruction 76
in primary health care or surgery. 77
d. For an applicant who matriculated graduated before July 78
1, 1983, has received a certification as a physician assistant 79
from the boards. 80
e. The board may also grant a license to an applicant who 81
does not meet the educational requirement specified in this 82
subparagraph but who has passed the Physician Assistant National 83
Certifying Examination admini stered by the National Commission 84
on Certification of Physician Assistants before 1986. 85
3. Has obtained a passing score as established by the 86
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or 87
its equivalent or successor organization and has been nationally 88
certified. If an applicant does not hold a current certificate 89
issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician 90
Assistants or its equivalent or successor organization and has 91
not actively practiced as a physician assistant w ithin the 92
immediately preceding 4 years, the applicant must retake and 93
successfully complete the entry -level examination of the 94
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or 95
its equivalent or successor organization to be eligible for 96
licensure. 97
4. Has completed the application form and remitted an 98
application fee not to exceed $300 as set by the boards. An 99
application for licensure as a physician assistant must include: 100
HB 1133 2023
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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. A diploma from an approved program. 101
b. Acknowledgment of any prior felony convictions. 102
c. Acknowledgment of any previous revocation or denial of 103
licensure or certification in any state. 104
Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 105