THE BILL ITSELF
CS/CS/SB 36
Use of Professional Nursing Titles
Florida Senate - 2026 CS for CS for SB 36 By the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; the Committee on Health Policy; and Senators Sharief, Osgood, Davis, Rouson, and Berman 603-02824-26 202636c2
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to the use of professional nursing
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titles; amending s. 464.015, F.S.; providing that
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licensed advanced practice registered nurses who hold
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specified degrees may use titles and abbreviations
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associated with those degrees in a specified manner;
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prohibiting such persons from holding themselves out
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to patients or prospective patients as a doctor in
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advertising without also clearly denoting their
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licensed profession; providing for disciplinary
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action; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsections (8) and (10) of section 464.015,
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Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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464.015 Titles and abbreviations; restrictions; penalty.—
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(8) Only persons who hold valid licenses to practice as
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advanced practice registered nurses in this state may use the
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title “Advanced Practice Registered Nurse” and the abbreviation
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“A.P.R.N.”
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(a) A licensed advanced practice registered nurse who also
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holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree or a Doctor of Nursing
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Practice degree may use the title “Doctor of Philosophy” and the
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abbreviation “Ph.D.,” or the title “Doctor of Nursing Practice”
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and the abbreviation “D.N.P.,” respectively, in a manner
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consistent with the doctoral degree such person holds.
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(b) A person authorized under paragraph (a) to use a title
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or abbreviation associated with a doctoral degree in a clinical
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setting may not hold himself or herself out as a doctor to
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patients or prospective patients in advertising produced
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directly by the practitioner, including signage or written
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communication, using such title or abbreviation without also
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clearly denoting his or her licensed profession.
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(10) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor of the
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first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
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775.083 , except for violations of paragraph (8)(a) or paragraph
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(8)(b). Violations of paragraph (8)(a) or paragraph (8)(b)
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constitute grounds for disciplinary action under s.
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464.018(1)(o) .
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.