SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 542

Naturopathy
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SPONSOR
Garcia
FILED BY
Ileana Garcia — District 36, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
1/1/2027
DIED IN
Health Policy

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Naturopathy; Citing this act as the "Florida Naturopathy Sunrise Act"; creating the Board of Naturopathy within the Department of Health; providing licensure requirements for naturopaths; providing titles and abbreviations licensed naturopaths may use and are prohibited from using; specifying acts that are outside the scope of practice of naturopaths, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Reestablishes licensure for naturopaths and creates a regulatory board.

A new seven-member Board of Naturopathy is created inside the Department of Health, made up of four naturopaths, one physician, one chiropractic physician, and one pharmacist, appointed by the Governor.

To become licensed, an applicant must be at least 21, carry professional liability insurance, hold first aid and CPR certification, and pass one of three named naturopathic board exams or certifications.

Licensed naturopaths may prescribe and dispense non-legend nutritional products such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbal substances, but they are barred from prescribing any legend or controlled drug at all.

Naturopaths are also barred from surgery, injections, acupuncture, and emergency medicine, and may not call themselves a "naturopathic physician" or "naturopathic medical doctor" under the new titling rules.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Creates the Board of Naturopathy majors. 462.002

AIA new seven-member Board of Naturopathy is created inside the Department of Health to license and regulate the profession, with four naturopath seats plus one physician, one chiropractic physician, and one pharmacist, all appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.

“There is created within the department the Board of Naturopathy.” bill text, line 119 →
§ 2 Sets licensure requirements for new naturopaths majors. 462.004

AIAnyone seeking a naturopath license must apply to the department, pass a background check, be at least 21, carry professional liability insurance, hold first aid and CPR certification, and pass one of three named naturopathic certification exams.

“Any person desiring to be a licensed naturopath under this chapter must apply to the department, submit to background screening” bill text, line 153 →
§ 3 Bars naturopaths from surgery and practicing medicine majors. 462.007

AINaturopaths are not authorized to perform surgery, injections, acupuncture, emergency medicine, or endoscopies, and may not practice or claim to practice medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic medicine, or physical therapy.

“Practice or claim to practice medicine, surgery, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic medicine, or physical therapy.” bill text, line 217 →
§ 4 Bars naturopaths from prescribing legend or controlled drugs majors. 462.007

AILicensed naturopaths may not prescribe, dispense, or administer any legend drug or controlled substance, including common categories like antibiotics, vaccinations, hormone therapies, and anything on Schedules I through V of chapter 893.

“This chapter does not authorize a licensed naturopath to prescribe, dispense, and administer controlled and noncontrolled legend drugs” bill text, line 247 →
§ 5 Allows naturopaths to prescribe non-legend nutritional products moderates. 462.007

AINaturopaths may prescribe, dispense, and administer a long list of non-legend nutritional products, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, probiotics, and herbal or botanical substances not containing CBD or THC.

“A licensed naturopath may prescribe, dispense, and administer non-legend nutritional products, including, but not limited to, all of the following” bill text, line 221 →
§ 6 Restricts the professional titles naturopaths may use moderates. 462.006

AILicensed naturopaths may call themselves "naturopath," "traditional naturopath," "naturopathic practitioner," "licensed naturopath," "L.N.," or "N.D.", but the titles "naturopathic medical doctor" and "naturopathic physician" are off-limits to them.

“Naturopaths licensed under this chapter may not use any of the following titles: "naturopathic medical doctor" or "naturopathic physician."” bill text, line 199 →
§ 7 Removes dollar caps on renewal and reissue fees moderates. 462.005

AIThe $1,000 statutory ceiling on the biennial license renewal fee is deleted and not replaced with a new cap, so the department's discretion over what it charges to renew a naturopath license is no longer numerically limited in this section.

“The biennial renewal fee, the amount of which shall be determined by the department but which may not exceed $1,000” bill text, line 188 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Health Policy
1/13/2026
Introduced
12/9/2025
Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and...
11/18/2025
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 462.01
+178 / −136
s. 462.023
+6 / −0
s. 462.002
+177 / −0
s. 462.003
+34 / −0
s. 462.003
+46 / −0
s. 462.004
+158 / −0