Residents and medical practitioners told the Citrus County delegation they want Florida to reinstate licensure for naturopathic physicians (NDs), arguing the profession can help fill primary-care gaps and provide alternative treatment options.

Sarah Sullivan said a pending Senate bill (SB 470) would legalize naturopathy and reinstate state licensure; she described personal health recovery after treatment by a naturopathic doctor in another state and urged the delegation to support the bill. Dr. Kai Peven, an actively licensed naturopathic doctor in Washington state, told the delegation NDs attend accredited four-year medical programs, receive conventional and alternative training, are licensed as primary-care physicians in roughly half the country and carry malpractice insurance in other states. Peven said he maintains a practice in Seattle and would like to practice in Florida but is constrained by current state law.

Supporters emphasized patient choice, the physician-provider gap in some Florida communities and the desire to remove the profession from an informal or “shadow” status. Opponents or regulatory perspectives did not speak at the delegation meeting.

Why it matters: Legalizing licensure would change the scope of permitted practice and regulatory oversight in Florida; proponents said it would increase provider options for patients and help address workforce shortages. The transcript shows advocates asking for a sponsor for a bill and to carry that legislation in the upcoming session.

Status: Sponsors and bill numbers were referenced in testimony; the delegation was asked to back the effort but no formal delegation vote or appropriation was recorded on this topic at the meeting.