HB 607 - AANP Update

It’s an exciting time in Florida. The Florida Legislature re-convened last week for the start of the 2020 state legislative session and the APRN legislation has been swiftly advancing.

A bill before the legislature has the potential to substantially reduce barriers for Florida patients and change the Florida practice environment for all APRNs.

Read on to find out more about the bill and where it is in the legislative process.

House Bill 607 (HB607) 

https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=67729&SessionId=89

The current bill language in House Bill 607 would:

• Retire the supervisory protocol requirement for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) APRNs who meet specific requirements, including completing 2,000 practice hours under a protocol agreement with a physician.
• Recognize APRN signatures on forms related to patient care.
• Authorize APRNs to perform critically needed services, including involuntary mental health, Baker Act release determinations, and child abuse and neglect screenings.
• Explicitly authorize APRNs to admit patients and lead patient care in select facilities.
• Require APRNs as part of their licensure to maintain professional liability coverage and complete added CE for licensure renewal.
• The bill contains elements that would update provisions for physician assistant practice requirements, scope, and oversight.

House Bill Status:

• This bill is moving quickly with strong support in the House. On January 15th, 2020, the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee voted unanimously 11-0 to favorably pass the bill with no changes. The bill is now eligible for consideration by the full HHS Committee.
• The bill is currently pending in the HHS Committee, where it awaits a hearing and vote by the full committee before eligible for consideration on the Florida House floor.

AANP is excited to see the momentum NPs are generating in Florida in 2020! This is a result of years of consistent advocacy by the Florida Nurse Practitioner community. Recently, the Florida Speaker of the House, Jose Oliva, championed HB607 and proposed improvements in an interview with WFLA, saying “Health care remains the central focus of our agenda.” Read the full coverage of the Speaker’s comments.

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/315133-jose-oliva-says-health-care-remains-focus