Bill > S0898

Introduced Session

An act relating to naturopathic medicine; redesignating the title of ch. 462, F.S., from “Naturopathy” to “Naturopathic Medicine”; creating s. 462.001, F.S.; providing legislative findings and purpose; creating s. 462.002, F.S.; providing applicability and construction; renumbering and amending s. 462.01, F.S.; revising and defining terms; creating s. 462.004, F.S.; creating the Board of Naturopathic Medicine within the Department of Health; providing for membership of the board; requiring the board, in conjunction with the department, to establish a disciplinary training program for board members; providing requirements for the program; providing that board members may not participate in probable cause panels or disciplinary decisions unless they have completed the training program; requiring board members appointed to probable cause panels to attempt to complete their work on every case presented to them; authorizing board members to reconvene a probable cause panel under certain circumstances; providing applicability; renumbering and amending s. 462.023, F.S.; authorizing the board to adopt rules; deleting obsolete language; creating s. 462.006, F.S.; prohibiting certain unlicensed persons from practicing naturopathic medicine or promoting, identifying, or describing themselves using specified titles or abbreviations; providing construction; creating ss. 462.007 and 462.008, F.S.; providing for licensure by examination and by endorsement, respectively, of naturopathic physicians; requiring the department and the board to use an investigative process to ensure that applicants meet the applicable criteria; authorizing the State Surgeon General or her or his designee to issue a 90-day licensure delay under certain circumstances; providing construction; prohibiting the board from certifying for licensure certain applicants until a certain investigation is completed; providing applicability; prohibiting the department from issuing a license to certain applicants until the board has reviewed the application and certified the applicant for licensure; authorizing the board to enter an order imposing certain sanctions against or conditions on an applicant for licensure under certain circumstances; renumbering and amending s. 462.08, F.S.; revising requirements for licensure renewal for naturopathic physicians; requiring the department to adopt rules; renumbering and amending s. 462.18, F.S.; revising continuing education requirements for naturopathic physicians; requiring naturopathic physicians to use the department’s electronic continuing education tracking system to demonstrate compliance with continuing education requirements; renumbering and amending s. 462.19, F.S.; revising provisions related to reactivation of inactive naturopathic physician licenses; requiring the board to adopt rules relating to the reactivation of inactive licenses; providing requirements for the rules; prohibiting the department from reactivating a license until certain conditions have been met; renumbering and amending s. 462.11, F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; creating s. 462.014, F.S.; requiring the board to adopt rules providing for the handling of medical records by licensed naturopathic physicians; providing requirements for such rules; creating s. 462.015, F.S.; providing financial responsibility requirements as a condition of licensure for naturopathic physicians; providing exemptions from such requirements; requiring certain insuring entities to promptly notify the department of a naturopathic physician’s cancellation or nonrenewal of insurance; requiring the department to suspend the license of a naturopathic physician under certain circumstances until the licensee demonstrates compliance with specified requirements; providing applicability; requiring certain naturopathic physicians to provide a specified notice to their patients; providing requirements for the notice; providing for permanent disqualification from any exemption from the financial responsibility requirements, and for disciplinary action, for specified conduct; requiring certain naturopathic physicians to notify the department in writing of any change in circumstance and demonstrate compliance with certain requirements; requiring the department to suspend the license of a naturopathic physician under certain circumstances until certain requirements are met; providing applicability; requiring the board to adopt rules; renumbering and amending s. 462.13, F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; renumbering and amending s. 462.14, F.S.; revising grounds for disciplinary action; providing construction; providing for disciplinary actions by the board and department; providing for the standard of proof in certain administrative actions; providing requirements for the reinstatement of a license for certain persons; providing requirements for disciplinary guidelines adopted by the board; providing requirements and procedures for the department’s receipt of certain closed claims and reports involving a licensed naturopathic physician; authorizing the department to bring an action to enjoin a naturopathic physician from providing medical services under certain circumstances; requiring the department to promptly furnish certain documents to a naturopathic physician or her or his attorney upon undertaking an investigation of the naturopathic physician; authorizing a naturopathic physician who is the subject of such investigation to submit a written response within a specified timeframe; requiring the response to be considered by the probable cause panel, if held on the matter; creating s. 462.018, F.S.; prohibiting licensed naturopathic physicians from holding themselves out as board-certified specialists unless certified by the board regulating such specialty; authorizing licensed naturopathic physicians to accurately indicate or state which services or types of services they provide within the scope of practice of naturopathic medicine; renumbering and amending s. 462.17, F.S.; providing criminal penalties for specified violations relating to the practice of naturopathic medicine; creating s. 462.024, F.S.; providing that patients are responsible for advising treating health care practitioners about any legend drugs, nutrients, or natural medicinal substances that a naturopathic physician has prescribed or recommended to the patient; requiring naturopathic physicians to advise their patients of such responsibility; creating a rebuttable presumption that certain injuries sustained by a patient are caused by her or his failure to disclose such information as required; providing for the rebuttal of such presumption under certain circumstances; providing construction; providing that a naturopathic physician is not required to confirm whether a patient has disclosed this information to another treating health care practitioner; creating s. 462.025, F.S.; establishing the Naturopathic Medical Formulary Council, separate and distinct from the board; providing for membership of the council; requiring the council to establish the Naturopathic Medical Formulary; providing requirements for the formulary; requiring the council to review the formulary annually and at any time upon board request; providing that naturopathic physicians may prescribe, administer, and dispense only those drugs included in the formulary; providing construction; creating s. 462.026, F.S.; providing severability; renumbering s. 462.09, F.S., relating to disposition of fees; repealing s. 462.16, F.S., relating to reissue of license; repealing s. 462.2001, F.S., relating to saving clause; amending s. 921.0022, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

Ana Maria Rodriguez (R)*, 

Died in Health Policy (on 03/08/2024)

Official Document