Title XXXII, Regulation of Professions and Occupations

(1) Any person desiring to be licensed as a podiatric physician shall apply to the department to take the licensure examination. The department shall examine each applicant who the board certifies:(a) Has completed the application form and remitted a nonrefundable application fee…

(1) The department shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application and a fee not to exceed $350 set by the board, and evidence that the applicant has actively practiced podiatric medicine or has been on the active teaching faculty of an accredited school of podiatri…

(1) The board shall adopt rules relating to application procedures for inactive status, to the renewal of inactive licenses, and to the reactivation of licenses. The board shall prescribe by rule an application fee for inactive status, a renewal fee for inactive status, a delinqu…

Whenever a podiatric physician licensed under this chapter renders professional services to a patient, the podiatric physician is required, upon request, to submit to the patient, to the patient’s insurer, or to the administrative agency for any federal or state health program un…

(1) The Legislature recognizes the significant potential of cellular and tissue-based products in advancing medical treatments and improving patient outcomes and further recognizes the need to ensure that such treatments are provided using cellular or tissue-based products obtain…

(1) Each of the following acts constitutes a violation of this chapter and is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084:(a) Practicing or attempting to practice podiatric medicine without an active license or with a license frau…

(1) The following acts constitute grounds for denial of a license or disciplinary action, as specified in s. 456.072(2):(a) Attempting to obtain, obtaining, or renewing a license to practice podiatric medicine by bribery, by fraudulent misrepresentations, or through an error of t…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no later than 30 days after a third report of a professional liability claim against a licensed podiatric physician has been submitted, within a 60-month period, as required by ss. 456.049 and 627.912, the Department of …

(1) A podiatric physician licensed under this chapter may not be subject to disciplinary action by the board for prescribing or administering dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to a patient under the podiatric physician’s care who has requested the substance as long as the podiatric physi…

A licensed podiatric physician may utilize an X-ray machine, expose X-ray films, and interpret or read such films. The provision of part IV of chapter 468 to the contrary notwithstanding, a licensed podiatric physician may authorize or direct a certified podiatric X-ray assistant…

(1) The board shall encourage and develop podiatric residency programs in hospitals in this state and shall establish such programs by the adoption of rules, subject to the following conditions:(a) Any residency program shall be approved by the Council of Podiatry Education of th…

A podiatric physician who is supervising a medical assistant shall be governed by s. 458.3485.History.—s. 2, ch. 2021-136.

Those persons holding valid certificates on October 1, 1991, who were certified pursuant to chapters 88-205 and 88-392, Laws of Florida, and who have been practicing under a board-approved protocol for at least 2 years are eligible to receive a license to practice podiatric medic…

As used in this chapter:(1) “Natureopathy” and “Naturopathy” shall be construed as synonymous terms and mean the use and practice of psychological, mechanical, and material health sciences to aid in purifying, cleansing, and normalizing human tissues for the preservation or resto…

The department may adopt such rules as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, initiate disciplinary action as provided by this chapter, and shall establish fees based on its estimates of the revenue required to administer this chapter but shall not exceed the fe…

Each licenseholder shall biennially renew her or his license to practice naturopathy. The applicant must furnish to the department such evidence as it requires of the applicant’s compliance with s. 462.18, relating to educational requirements. The biennial renewal fee, the amount…

All fees received under this chapter shall be deposited into the Medical Quality Assurance Trust Fund. The Legislature shall appropriate funds from this trust fund sufficient to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The department shall prepare and submit a proposed budget in…

Doctors of naturopathy shall observe and be subject to all state, county, and municipal regulations in regard to the control of contagious and infectious diseases, the reporting of births and deaths, and to any and all other matters pertaining to the public health in the same man…

The department may administer oaths, summon witnesses, and take testimony in all matters relating to its duties pursuant to this chapter. Every unrevoked license shall be presumptive evidence in all courts and places that the person therein named is legally licensed to practice n…

(1) The following acts constitute grounds for denial of a license or disciplinary action, as specified in s. 456.072(2):(a) Attempting to obtain, obtaining, or renewing a license to practice naturopathic medicine by bribery, by fraudulent misrepresentation, or through an error of…

Any person who shall practice naturopathy after her or his license has been revoked and registration annulled shall be deemed to have practiced naturopathy without a license; provided, however, at any time after 6 months after the date of said conviction, the department may grant…

Any person who shall:(1) Sell, fraudulently obtain, or furnish any naturopathic diploma, license, record, or registration or aid or abet in the same;(2) Practice naturopathy under the cover of any diploma, license, record, or registration illegally or fraudulently obtained or sec…

(1) At the time each licensee shall renew her or his license as otherwise provided in this chapter, each licensee, in addition to the payment of the regular renewal fee, shall furnish to the department satisfactory evidence that, in the year preceding each such application for re…

(1) The department shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application and fee.(2) A licensee may request that her or his license be placed in an inactive status by making application to the department and paying a fee in an amount set by the department not to exceed $5…

All licenses to practice naturopathy issued pursuant to this chapter and valid on October 1, 1985, shall remain in full force and effect.History.—s. 11, ch. 85-303.

This chapter shall be known as the “Optometry Practice Act.”History.—ss. 1, 21, ch. 86-289; s. 4, ch. 91-429.

The sole legislative purpose in enacting this chapter is to ensure that every person engaged in the practice of optometry in this state meets minimum requirements for safe practice. It is the legislative intent that such persons who fall below minimum standards or who otherwise p…

As used in this chapter, the term:(1) “Board” means the Board of Optometry.(2) “Department” means the Department of Health.(3)(a) “Licensed practitioner” means a person who is a primary health care provider licensed to engage in the practice of optometry under the authority of th…

(1) There is created within the department the Board of Optometry, composed of seven members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.(2) Five members of the board must be licensed practitioners actively practicing in this state. The remaining two members must be cit…

The board shall maintain its official headquarters in the City of Tallahassee.History.—ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-194; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 20, 21, ch. 86-289; s. 4, ch. 91-429.

(1) The Board of Optometry has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this chapter conferring duties upon it. Such rules shall include, but not be limited to, rules relating to:(a) Standards of practice, including, but not li…

(1)(a) Certified optometrists may administer and prescribe ocular pharmaceutical agents as provided in this section for the diagnosis and treatment of ocular conditions of the human eye and its appendages without the use of surgery or other invasive techniques. However, a license…

(1) The department may issue an optometric faculty certificate without examination to an individual who remits a nonrefundable application fee, not to exceed $100 plus the actual per applicant cost to the department, and who demonstrates to the board that she or he meets the foll…

(1) Any person desiring to be a licensed practitioner under this chapter must apply to the department, submit to background screening in accordance with s. 456.0135, and submit proof to the department that she or he meets all of the following criteria:(a) Has completed the applic…

(1) The department shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application and the fee set by the board not to exceed $300.(2) The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses.(3) As a condition of license renewal, a licensee mu…

(1) The board shall adopt rules relating to application procedures for inactive status, for the biennial renewal of inactive licenses, and for the reactivation of licenses. The board shall prescribe by rule an application fee for inactive status, a renewal fee for inactive status…

No person other than a licensed practitioner may engage in the practice of optometry as defined in s. 463.002(7). Except as provided in this section, under no circumstances shall nonlicensed supportive personnel be delegated diagnosis or treatment duties; however, such personnel …

Each person to whom a license or branch office license is issued by the department shall keep said license conspicuously displayed in the appropriate office and shall, whenever required, exhibit said license to any authorized representative of the department.History.—ss. 1, 6, ch…

(1) A licensed practitioner shall keep on file for a period of at least 2 years any prescription she or he writes.(2)(a) A licensed practitioner shall make available to the patient or her or his agent any spectacle prescription or duplicate copy determined for that patient. Such …

Any agency of the state or county or any commission, clinic, or board administering relief, social security, health insurance, or health service under the laws of the state shall accept the services of licensed practitioners for the purposes of diagnosing and correcting any and a…

(1) A licensed practitioner shall provide that degree of care which conforms to that level of care provided by medical practitioners in the same or similar communities. A licensed practitioner shall advise or assist her or his patient in obtaining further care when the service of…

(1)(a) No corporation, lay body, organization, or individual other than a licensed practitioner shall engage in the practice of optometry through the means of engaging the services, upon a salary, commission, or other means or inducement, of any person licensed to practice optome…

(1) Effective January 1, 2014, an adverse incident occurring in the practice of optometry must be reported to the department in accordance with this section.(2) The required notification must be in writing and submitted to the department by certified mail. The required notificati…

(1) Each of the following acts constitutes a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084:(a) Practicing or attempting to practice optometry without a valid active license issued pursuant to this chapter.(b) Attempting to obtain or o…

(1) The following acts constitute grounds for denial of a license or disciplinary action, as specified in s. 456.072(2):(a) Procuring, or attempting to procure, a license to practice optometry by bribery, by fraudulent misrepresentations, or through an error of the department or …

In order to ensure that licensed practitioners may be considered for licensure in other states, the board may enter into reciprocity agreements with other states.History.—ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-194; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 18, 20, 21, ch. 86-289; s. 4, ch. 91-429.