AANP Supports Florida to Stop SB 612 "Title" Bill

Email dated 02/15/13

Dear AANP Florida Member:
Last week, AANP called your attention to Florida Senate Bill 612. This bill would prohibit the use of use of the title "Doctor" or the abbreviation "Dr" without additionally disclosing that one was not a medical doctor or an osteopathic physician, and make it a felony of the third degree. Read the full bill.

While AANP supports the appropriate use of professional titles and stands against deceptive and intentionally misleading representation, the restriction and penalties proposed in SB 612 are excessive and unnecessary.

ACTION REQUEST: Please contact your legislators and members of the Senate Health Policy Committee to request that they vote no on Senate Bill 612. Please consider sharing one or all of the following reasons why SB 612 is not a good fit for Florida.

• . Florida already has a specific state statute that specifically prohibits nurses from providing “False, misleading, or deceptive advertising” (Florida Statute 464.018) and a mechanism under the Board of Nursing for disciplinary action and fine collection.
• . SB 612 creates a new law where none is needed. Florida’s tax payers should not be asked to fund redundant regulation when our state funds are needed elsewhere to solve real problems.
• —and this includes the educational preparation.

The bottom line is that this bill tips too far in trying to solve a perceived problem that doesn’t exist. A new LAW is not the right fit solution. This bill has been sent to several committees. Please use the Florida SB 612 webpage to locate committee members and their contact information.

Thank you for taking time to connect with legislators on this issue. For more information on AANP’s position on this and similar bills, please check our AANP’s issue brief.

Sincerely,

Gail Sadler, AANP State Representative
Patricia Pearce, AANP Region 11 Director
Tay Kopanos, AANP VP State Government Affairs