SB 172 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Health Care Practitioner Specialty Titles and Designations

Summary

Health Care Practitioner Specialty Titles and Designations; Providing circumstances under which the Department of Health may issue a notice to cease and desist and pursue other remedies upon finding probable cause; prohibiting the use of specified titles and designations by health care practitioners not licensed as physicians or osteopathic physicians, as applicable, with an exception; providing that the use of such titles and designations constitutes the unlicensed practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine, as applicable; authorizing the department to pursue specified remedies for such violations, etc.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action Jun 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 172 c1 → S 172 c2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill update adds new restrictions on health care practitioners who are not licensed physicians or osteopathic physicians, specifically prohibiting them from using specialist titles without proper authorization. It also adds new provisions regarding certified registered nurse anesthetists and clarifies enforcement procedures for unlicensed practice violations. The changes aim to prevent misleading representation of medical specialties to patients.

Scope change

Expanded scope to include additional health care practitioner categories (certified registered nurse anesthetists and chiropractic/podiatric/dental practitioners) with specific title usage restrictions.

REQUIREMENT

New section 456.65 created to prohibit non-physician practitioners from using specialist titles listed in sections 458.3312 and 459.0152 unless authorized by their respective practice acts.

Added restrictions preventing certified registered nurse anesthetists who are not licensed under chapter 464 from using titles like 'certified registered nurse anesthetist,' 'C.R.N.A.,' 'nurse anesthetist,' or 'anesthetist' when describing their practice to patients or the public.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new enforcement provision stating that cease and desist notices do not constitute agency action for hearings under ss. 120.569 and 120.57, and authorizes the department to seek injunctions or writs of mandamus in state court to enforce orders.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific exceptions allowing chiropractic physicians, podiatric physicians, dentists, and anesthesiologist assistants to use certain titles and abbreviations authorized under their respective practice acts.

DEFINITION

Added construction provision stating the act does not prohibit health care practitioners from using federal terminology for billing Medicare or other federal health care programs.

TIMELINE

Effective date changed from unspecified to July 1, 2025.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 9, 2025

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 38

Apr 9, 2025

D Democratic10

10 Yea

100% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican27

26 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Rules, 04/01/25, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 03/25/25, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health Policy; Rules

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor