Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1138 By Senator Calatayud 38-00753A-25 20251138__ Page 1 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1

An act relating to central service technician 2 services; creating s. 395.1075, F.S.; providing 3 legislative purpose and intent; defining the terms 4 “central service technician” and “health care 5 practitioner”; authorizing licensed hospitals and 6 ambulatory surgical centers to employ or otherwise 7 retain the services of a central service technician 8 only if he or she meets specified criteria; requiring 9 central service technicians who do not meet specified 10 criteria to obtain a certain certification within a 11 specified timeframe as a condition of continued 12 employment; requiring central service technicians to 13 complete a specified number of continuing education 14 hours annually as a condition of continued employment; 15 providing a requirement for such continuing education; 16 requiring hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, 17 upon the written request of a central service 18 technician, to verify in writing the technician’s 19 dates of employment or contract period with the 20 facility; providing applicability; providing an 21 effective date. 22 23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 24 25

Section

Section 395.1075, Florida Statutes, is created 26 to read: 27 395.1075 Central service technician services.— 28

(1) LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE AND INTENT.—The legislative purpose 29 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1138 38-00753A-25 20251138__ Page 2 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. for enacting this

section is to ensure that every new central 30 service technician employed by a hospital or an ambulatory 31 surgical center in this state meets minimum requirements for 32 safe practice as a member of the surgical care team. It is the 33 intent of the Legislature that central service technicians who 34 fall below minimum competency or who otherwise present a danger 35 to public health and safety be prohibited from practicing in 36 this state. 37

(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 38 (a) “Central service technician” means a person who 39 decontaminates, inspects, assembles, disassembles, packages, and 40 sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices for use by a 41 licensed facility. 42 (b) “Health care practitioner” has the same meaning as in 43 s. 456.001. 44

(3) CERTIFICATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR 45 CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIANS.— 46 (

a) A licensed facility may employ or otherwise retain the 47 services of a central service technician only if such person has 48 successfully passed a nationally accredited exam for central 49 service technicians and meets at least one of the following 50 criteria: 51 1. Holds and maintains a certified registered central 52 service technician credential issued by a nationally accredited 53 central service credentialing organization. 54 2.

Holds and maintains a certified sterile processing and 55 distribution technician credential issued by a nationally 56 accredited central service credentialing organization. 57 3. Provides evidence that he or she was employed by or 58 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1138 38-00753A-25 20251138__ Page 3 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. provided the services of a central service technician to a 59 licensed facility on or before December 31, 2026. 60 (

b) A central service technician who does not meet the 61 requirements of paragraph (

a) must obtain the required certified 62 registered central service technician credential or certified 63 sterile processing and distribution technician credential within 64 18 months after his or her date of hire in order to continue 65 employment as a central service technician. 66 (

c) A person who qualifies under paragraph (

a) to practice 67 as a central service technician in a licensed facility must 68 complete at least 10 hours of continuing education annually to 69 continue employment as a central service technician. The 70 continuing education must be related to the functions of a 71 central service technician. 72 (

d) A licensed facility shall, upon the written request of 73 a central service technician, verify, in writing, the central 74 service technician’s dates of employment or the contract period 75 during which the central service technician provided services to 76 the licensed facility. 77

(4) EXEMPTIONS.—This

section does not apply to: 78 (

a) A health care practitioner if he or she is acting 79 within the scope of his or her license or certification. 80 (

b) A student or an intern if he or she is performing the 81 functions of a central service technician under the direct 82 supervision of a health care practitioner as part of the 83 student’s or intern’s training or internship. 84 (

c) A person who holds and maintains a registration, 85 certification, or license from a nationally accredited 86 credentialing organization to perform health services. 87 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1138 38-00753A-25 20251138__ Page 4 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 88