After more than six decades on ice, Florida is on the verge of bringing naturopathic doctors back into the state’s official medical lineup. Lawmakers have voted to reestablish state licensure for naturopathic doctors, signing off on legislation that would create a Board of Naturopathic Medicine and spell out new limits on what these practitioners can do. The measure cleared both chambers in early March and now sits enrolled, awaiting action from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Supporters say the change expands patient options and helps ease a worsening physician shortage, while critics warn it could greenlight unproven therapies.
On the floor, the Senate approved the committee substitute 33-3 on March 5 and the House followed with an 85-22 vote on March 11. Lawmakers ordered the bill enrolled on March 17. According to LegiScan, the enrolled measure is tracked as CS/SB 688 and carries an effective date of Dec. 31, 2026 if it becomes law.
What's in the bill
The measure redesignates chapter 462 of state law as “Naturopathic Medicine,” creates a Board of Naturopathic Medicine within the Department of Health and establishes licensure by examination and by endorsement for naturopathic doctors. As detailed by the Florida Senate, the text bars naturopathic physicians from prescribing drugs, performing surgery or administering anesthesia, and it prohibits providing chiropractic care or acupuncture unless the practitioner also holds those licenses.
Supporters and critics
Supporters, including bill sponsor Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, told colleagues the point of the measure is clarity and accountability. "This bill is not about replacing or undermining physicians," Rodriguez said, as advocates argued that licensed NDs can expand access in underserved areas. Opponents counter that the law would permit largely unproven remedies and homeopathic products and leave patients footing bills that many insurers and Medicare will not cover, as reported by WUSF.
Legal and training questions
The enrolled bill also lowers the penalty for practicing naturopathy without a license from a felony to a second-degree misdemeanor, language found in the bill text as posted by the Florida Senate. Graduates of four-year programs accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education typically qualify for licensure where the profession is regulated, according to CNME. The Florida Medical Association called the bill a modernization of oversight that nonetheless effectively legitimizes another provider class that could press for expanded privileges in future sessions.
With the bill enrolled, it awaits the governor's action; if signed it would take effect on Dec. 31, 2026, according to LegiScan. Until then, Florida has had no active naturopathic licenses since the legislature abolished licensing in 1959 and the last licensed practitioner passed away in 2010, a long gap in state oversight that both supporters and critics leaned on during debate.
