SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 878

Clinical Laboratory Personnel
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SPONSOR
Yarborough
FILED BY
Clay Yarborough — District 4, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
HB 1347 — SB 878 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Clinical Laboratory Personnel; Requiring that an applicant who qualifies for licensure under specified provisions provide proof of such qualification and pay the required fees to be eligible for licensure; requiring that applicants for licensure as a technologist or technician who meet specified criteria be deemed to have satisfied minimum qualifications for licensure to perform high or moderate complexity testing as a technologist or technician, as applicable, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Recognizes federal testing qualifications as meeting Florida licensure rules.

A lab technologist or technician who meets federal requirements to perform high-complexity testing is automatically deemed to meet Florida's own minimum qualifications for a license to perform that same level of testing.

The same deeming applies to technicians, though not technologists, who meet the separate federal standard for moderate-complexity testing, letting them satisfy Florida's licensing qualifications the same way.

Qualifying this way does not skip the licensing process itself: the applicant must still prove they meet the standard, pass background screening, and pay the usual licensing fees.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Federal high-complexity testing standard deemed sufficient majors. 483.823(3)

AIA technologist or technician applicant who meets the federal requirement to perform high-complexity lab testing is automatically treated as having met Florida's own minimum qualifications for a license to perform that testing.

“is deemed to have satisfied the minimum qualifications for licensure under this part to perform high complexity testing” bill text, line 39 →
§ 2 Federal moderate-complexity standard deemed sufficient for technicians majors. 483.823(4)

AIA technician applicant, but not a technologist applicant, who meets the federal requirement to perform moderate-complexity lab testing is likewise deemed to meet Florida's minimum qualifications for that license.

“is deemed to have satisfied the minimum qualifications for licensure under this part to perform moderate complexity testing” bill text, line 39 →
§ 3 Deemed applicants still must prove, screen, and pay moderates. 483.815(2)

AIAn applicant relying on the new federal-equivalency pathway must still provide proof of the qualification, complete background screening, and pay the standard licensing fees to actually become licensed.

“must provide proof of such qualification, submit to background screening in accordance with s. 456.0135, and pay the fees required under s. 483.807” bill text, line 29 →
TIMELINE
3/5/2026
Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see HB 1347 (Ch. 2026-134...
3/5/2026
Substituted HB 1347 -SJ 590
3/5/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 590
3/2/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 03/05/26
2/25/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/24/2026
Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 22 NAYS 0
2/19/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/24/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
2/18/2026
Now in Rules
2/18/2026
Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human...
2/13/2026
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Health and Human...
2/12/2026
Now in Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services
2/11/2026
Favorable by Health Policy; YEAS 11 NAYS 0
2/6/2026
On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 02/11/26, 3:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
1/13/2026
Introduced
12/16/2025
Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and...
12/11/2025
Filed
10 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 483.815
+43 / −2
s. 483.823
+106 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES
2 MORE →