Urgent! Support Florida Nutritionists and others – Ask Legislators to Vote Yes on HB 1047!

On January 24th, 2018, Florida’s House Health Quality Subcommittee approved legislation that will significantly open the practice of nutrition to health and wellness practitioners for the first time in 30 years! That bill, HB 1047 sponsored by Representative Julio Gonzalez, would exempt from licensure thousands of nutrition practitioners so that they may provide nutrition services, for remuneration, so long as they do not use certain protected titles. Take Action here to ask your legislators to support HB 1047.

Under current law, only a dietitian – and some nutritionists – may provide nutrition services, because they’re the only ones that may be licensed. For 30+ years the Dietitians have had a monopoly on nutrition services in FL, even going so far as to threaten nutrition professionals with large fines for simply telling others what foods to eat, recipes to make, and how to improve their nutrition intake. If this bill passes, the Dietitians can keep their license and their protected titles. The only thing that will change is that everyone else, Holistic Professionals, Health Coaches, Nutritional Therapy Practitioners, and many, many more, would now be able to provide nutrition services too – including providing advice and recommendations – without needing a license. Take Action here.

HB 1047 passed the Florida House Appropriations committee on February 6 and now it goes to the full House Health and Human Services Committee before being voted on by the entire House of Representatives. A Senate companion bill, SB 1486, does not have a similar exemption, but there is still time to amend that bill.

The health freedom exemption language in HB 1047 adds the following exemption to the current dietitian licensing law, at section 468.505 of the Florida Statutes:
(1) Nothing in this part may be construed as prohibiting or restricting the practice, services, or activities of: (n) A person who provides information, recommendations, or advice concerning nutrition, or who markets food, food materials, or dietary supplements for remuneration, if that person does not represent himself or herself as a dietitian, licensed dietitian, registered dietitian, licensed nutritionist, nutrition counselor, or licensed nutrition counselor, or use any word, letter, symbol, or insignia indicating or implying that he or she is a dietitian, nutritionist, or nutrition counselor.

Thank you to the Council of Holistic Health Educators for their work on this bill!