2026 Bills Impacting Health Care Professions

These are summaries of legislation passed during the 2026 Legislative Session which affects Florida’s health care professions. Select a bill from the list to view a summary, effective date, and a link to the final enrolled bill text.

House Bills


Effective Date: July 1, 2026
HB 47 (Bill Information)

Summary:

The bill authorizes the parent or legal custodian of a child under investigation by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to request a second medical evaluation or examination, or a compilation of differential diagnoses, within ten days of an initial medical evaluation or examination. The health care practitioner who performs the second medical evaluation or examination, or compiles a differential diagnosis, must submit a written report to DCF and the parent or legal custodian within 10 days. DCF must convene a case staffing to reach consensus in cases with conflicting diagnostic opinions. The bill requires DCF to notify parents that they must report to DCF a child’s preexisting diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Osteogenesis imperfecta, rickets, or vitamin D deficiency, and must provide DCF with the name and contact information of the health care practitioner who rendered such diagnosis within 10 days after DCF notifies the parents.

The bill establishes a 14-day interval in which a health care practitioner must furnish patient records to DCF after receiving a records request from DCF. In instances of such a diagnosis, the Child Protection Team must consult with certain medical professionals when evaluating the child.

Senate Bills


Effective Date: July 1, 2026
SB 844 (Bill Information)

Summary:

The bill requires that the existing two-hour continuing education course on controlled substance prescribing include content on the treatment for patients with sickle cell disease. This course is required for health care practitioners registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and are authorized to prescribe controlled substances.


Effective Date: June 11, 2026
SB 1092 (Bill Information)

Summary:

The bill narrows the existing controlled substance prescribing continuing education requirement from all podiatric physicians to only those who are registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe controlled substances, exempting podiatric physicians who do not prescribe controlled substances.

The bill authorizes Florida-licensed podiatric physicians to perform certain procedures using cellular or tissue-based products that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and establishes standards governing use, including facility accreditation, and patient disclosures, while prohibiting the use of any human cells or tissues derived from a fetus or embryo after an abortion and provides penalties for violations. Key provisions of the bill include:

  • Permissible Procedures: Authorizes podiatric physicians to perform procedures using cellular and tissue-based products not approved by the FDA if used for connective tissue, ligament, and tendon repair; wound care; or pain management.
  • Product Standards: Requires products to be retrieved, manufactured, and stored in FDA registered and nationally accredited facilities and to include a post-thaw viability analysis confirming live cells.
  • Advertising Disclosures: Mandates that advertisements include a clearly legible notice indicating the therapies have not yet been approved by the FDA and encouraging patients to consult a primary care provider.
  • Informed Consent: Requires podiatric physicians to obtain a signed, detailed consent form from patients, including disclosure of risks, alternatives, anticipated results, lack of FDA approval, and encouragement to consult a primary care provider.
  • Prohibited Practices: Prohibits treatment or research using human cells or tissues derived from a fetus or an embryo after an abortion and the sale, manufacture, or distribution of computer products created using human cells, tissues, or cellular or tissue-based products and makes it a third-degree felony and a licensure violation for a podiatric physician to willfully perform or actively participate in either prohibited act.
  • Penalties and Regulatory Oversight: Provides for licensure discipline by the Board of Podiatric Medicine if any provision is violated and authorizes rulemaking to implement the provisions of the bill.

Lastly, the bill exempts podiatric physicians with FDA approval for an investigational new drug or device, to perform procedures using cellular and tissue-based products or who performs procedures under contract with certain accredited institutions from the requirements of the bill.

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2026 Bills Impacting Health Care Professions

These are summaries of legislation passed during the 2026 Legislative Session which affects Florida’s health care professions. Select a bill from the list to view a summary, effective date, and a link to the final enrolled bill text.

House Bills


Effective Date: July 1, 2026
HB 47 (Bill Information)

Summary:

The bill authorizes the parent or legal custodian of a child under investigation by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to request a second medical evaluation or examination, or a compilation of differential diagnoses, within ten days of an initial medical evaluation or examination. The health care practitioner who performs the second medical evaluation or examination, or compiles a differential diagnosis, must submit a written report to DCF and the parent or legal custodian within 10 days. DCF must convene a case staffing to reach consensus in cases with conflicting diagnostic opinions. The bill requires DCF to notify parents that they must report to DCF a child’s preexisting diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Osteogenesis imperfecta, rickets, or vitamin D deficiency, and must provide DCF with the name and contact information of the health care practitioner who rendered such diagnosis within 10 days after DCF notifies the parents.

The bill establishes a 14-day interval in which a health care practitioner must furnish patient records to DCF after receiving a records request from DCF. In instances of such a diagnosis, the Child Protection Team must consult with certain medical professionals when evaluating the child.

Senate Bills


Effective Date: July 1, 2026
SB 844 (Bill Information)

Summary:

The bill requires that the existing two-hour continuing education course on controlled substance prescribing include content on the treatment for patients with sickle cell disease. This course is required for health care practitioners registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and are authorized to prescribe controlled substances.


Effective Date: June 11, 2026
SB 1092 (Bill Information)

Summary:

The bill narrows the existing controlled substance prescribing continuing education requirement from all podiatric physicians to only those who are registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe controlled substances, exempting podiatric physicians who do not prescribe controlled substances.

The bill authorizes Florida-licensed podiatric physicians to perform certain procedures using cellular or tissue-based products that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and establishes standards governing use, including facility accreditation, and patient disclosures, while prohibiting the use of any human cells or tissues derived from a fetus or embryo after an abortion and provides penalties for violations. Key provisions of the bill include:

  • Permissible Procedures: Authorizes podiatric physicians to perform procedures using cellular and tissue-based products not approved by the FDA if used for connective tissue, ligament, and tendon repair; wound care; or pain management.
  • Product Standards: Requires products to be retrieved, manufactured, and stored in FDA registered and nationally accredited facilities and to include a post-thaw viability analysis confirming live cells.
  • Advertising Disclosures: Mandates that advertisements include a clearly legible notice indicating the therapies have not yet been approved by the FDA and encouraging patients to consult a primary care provider.
  • Informed Consent: Requires podiatric physicians to obtain a signed, detailed consent form from patients, including disclosure of risks, alternatives, anticipated results, lack of FDA approval, and encouragement to consult a primary care provider.
  • Prohibited Practices: Prohibits treatment or research using human cells or tissues derived from a fetus or an embryo after an abortion and the sale, manufacture, or distribution of computer products created using human cells, tissues, or cellular or tissue-based products and makes it a third-degree felony and a licensure violation for a podiatric physician to willfully perform or actively participate in either prohibited act.
  • Penalties and Regulatory Oversight: Provides for licensure discipline by the Board of Podiatric Medicine if any provision is violated and authorizes rulemaking to implement the provisions of the bill.

Lastly, the bill exempts podiatric physicians with FDA approval for an investigational new drug or device, to perform procedures using cellular and tissue-based products or who performs procedures under contract with certain accredited institutions from the requirements of the bill.