HB 607 was PASSED and is headed to the House Floor for Final Vote!!

Much has happened this week with regard to healthcare legislation. Our beloved Florida House Bill 607: Health Care Practitioners (would allow advanced practice registered nurses and physicians assistants to practice to the full extent of their education and training without physician supervision) PASSED the Health and Human Services Committee with a vote of 15 Yeas and 0 Nays. This means that HB 607 will now go forward to the floor of the Florida House for a final vote.

In an unprecedented and impassioned speech, the bill sponsor, Representative Dr. Cary Pigman, addressed the accusations and misrepresentations being put forward by organized medicine in Florida (such as the one below). It was so historic and well-said that the transcript is provided HERE or you can watch the committee meeting recording HERE (advance to minute 1:04:00).

In the Senate side, Senate SB 1676 has been amended to include language that would allow a limited number of APRNs (primary care NPs) to practice without physician supervision as a pilot program. This amendment would allow APRNs to practice independently in areas in Florida with significant primary care workforce shortages. This pilot program would be overseen by a committee made up primarily of physicians.

As an NP professional organization, we do not support the bill as currently amended and are concerned about the limits and problems this can bring. Within SB 1676 are other concerning elements such as language that would allow Registered Nurses to delegate essential nursing tasks such as medication administration, enteral feeding and nursing procedures to be performed by Certified Nurses Assistants. Though this was put forward as a way to help alleviate critical nursing shortages in key healthcare sectors, it creates an additional issue of liability and training problems that could potentially result in medical errors and patient harm. Showing progress nonetheless, SB 1676 has been referred to the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee and has been placed on the agenda for 3-3-2020 at 1:00pm (412 Knott Bulding). 

There is a House companion bill to SB 1676 that is moving forward as well with an amendment for HB 607 language. This bill is HB 7053: Direct Care Workers. It has PASSED unanimously out of the Health and Human Services Committee 16-0 and is moving onward. Ultimately the language of HB 607 in HB 7053 is preferred.

With continued support from House Speaker Oliva and bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, this is shaping up to be our best chance in DECADES of passing this legislation.

We need as many people in their "White Coats & Stethoscopes" as possible to go up to Tallahassee for these last 2 weeks...WE HAVE ONLY 6 DAYS LEFT TO GET THIS PASSED!! We must be seen and show our support!

Both Tuesday and Wednesday of this coming week are crucial as is EVERY DAY of the final week (March 9-13).  Visit https://www.flanp.org/page/TakeAction for more information on how to help.

We can do this BUT we NEED YOUR HELP!! 

TOGETHER WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS!!