Florida 2023 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1133 Enrolled / Bill

Filed 04/27/2023

                            
ENROLLED 
CS/HB 1133  	2023 Legislature 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
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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 
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 LICENSUR E.— 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 ag e. 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 the 21 
Physician Assistant or, before 2001, its equivalent or 22 
predecessor organization . 23 
 b.  For an applicant who matriculated graduated on or 24 
before December 31, 2020, has received a bachelor's or master's 25          
ENROLLED 
CS/HB 1133  	2023 Legislature 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
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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 
 
 
 
degree from an approved program. 26 
 c.  For an applicant who graduated befo re 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 
 e.  The board may als o grant a license to an applicant who 33 
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 Physician 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 hold a curr ent 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 reta ke 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          
ENROLLED 
CS/HB 1133  	2023 Legislature 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
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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 felony 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 requirements: 64 
 1.  Is at least 18 years of age. 65 
 2.  Has completed 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          
ENROLLED 
CS/HB 1133  	2023 Legislature 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
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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.  For an applicant wh o graduated before July 1, 1994, has 75 
graduated from an approved program of instruction in primary 76 
health care or surgery. 77 
 d.  For an applicant who graduated before July 1, 1983, has 78 
received a certification as a physician assistant from the 79 
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 administered 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 within the 92 
immediately preceding 4 years, the app licant 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 a nd remitted an 98 
application fee not to exceed $300 as set by the boards. An 99          
ENROLLED 
CS/HB 1133  	2023 Legislature 
 
 
 
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 
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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 for licensure as a physician assistant must include: 100 
 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