SESSION WATCH
Became law HOUSE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-108

No. CS/HB 809

Temporary Certificates for Practice in Areas of Critical Need
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SPONSOR
Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee; Benarroch; López, J.
FILED BY
Yvette Benarroch — District 81, Republican [search donations]
Johanna López — District 43, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
5/22/2026

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Temporary Certificates for Practice in Areas of Critical Need; Revises conditions under which Board of Medicine, Board of Osteopathic Medicine, & Board of Nursing, respectively, may issue temporary certificates for practice in areas of critical need; authorizes certificateholders to continue primary care services after such areas lose their critical need designation under certain circumstances.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Lets certificateholders keep providing primary care after critical-need status lapses.

Temporary certificates for physicians, osteopathic physicians, and advanced practice registered nurses practicing in critical-need areas used to become invalid once the area lost its critical-need designation. Now they can stay valid, under conditions, even after that happens.

To qualify, the certificateholder must maintain an active primary care relationship with at least one existing patient in the area, and the board must find, during its review, that all other requirements are still satisfied.

The continued practice this allows is limited to primary care services for patients already in the area; it does not extend the certificate's original full scope of practice.

The same change is made identically to the physician, osteopathic physician, and nurse practice acts, so it applies the same way across all three professions holding these certificates.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Certificates can survive an area losing its critical-need designation majors. 458.315

AIA temporary certificate for practice in a critical-need area, previously valid only for as long as the area kept its critical-need designation, now also stays valid after that designation lapses, if the certificateholder meets a new set of conditions.

“The certificate was issued for practice in an area of critical need that has since lost its designation” bill text, line 26 →
§ 2 Continued practice is limited to primary care, not full scope moderates. 458.315

AIEven when this new exception applies, the certificateholder may only continue providing primary care services in the area, not the full scope of practice the original temporary certificate authorized.

“the certificateholder may continue providing primary care services to patients in such area under the certificate” bill text, line 30 →
§ 3 Continuity depends on an existing patient relationship in the area moderates. 458.315

AIThe exception only applies if the certificateholder maintains an active primary care treatment relationship with one or more patients already in the area; it is not a general license to keep practicing there for new patients.

“maintains an active primary care treatment relationship in the area with one or more patients” bill text, line 28 →
§ 4 Board review still gatekeeps continued practice under the exception moderates. 458.315

AIContinued practice after the area loses its designation is conditioned on the board finding, during its review of the certificateholder, that all other requirements are satisfied, the same annual review that already applies to every temporary certificateholder.

“if the board finds that all other requirements are satisfied during its review of the certificateholder” bill text, line 31 →
TIMELINE
5/26/2026
Chapter No. 2026-108
5/22/2026
Approved by Governor
5/21/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
3/6/2026
Ordered enrolled
3/6/2026
In Messages
3/6/2026
CS passed; YEAS 34 NAYS 0 -SJ 653
3/6/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 653
3/6/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 653
3/6/2026
Substituted for CS/SB 1480 -SJ 653
3/6/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
3/6/2026
Withdrawn from Rules -SJ 653
3/3/2026
Received
3/3/2026
Referred to Rules
3/3/2026
In Messages
3/3/2026
CS passed; YEAS 110, NAYS 0
3/3/2026
Read 3rd time
3/3/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/3/2026
Read 2nd time
2/26/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/3/2026)
2/18/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/18/2026
Bill released to House Calendar
2/18/2026
Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee
2/18/2026
Favorable by Health & Human Services Committee
2/16/2026
Added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda
2/6/2026
Now in Health & Human Services Committee
2/6/2026
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
2/4/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2/4/2026
CS Filed
2/4/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
2/4/2026
Reported out of Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
2/3/2026
Favorable with CS by Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
1/30/2026
PCS added to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee agenda
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
1/5/2026
Now in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
1/5/2026
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
1/5/2026
Referred to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
12/17/2025
Filed
31 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 458.315
+81 / −0
s. 459.0076
+81 / −0
s. 464.0121
+81 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES