Rep. Yvette Benarroch filed a bill seeking to help combat the physician shortage by setting a new way for some medical professionals to get the necessary credentials. 

House Bill 809 would loosen the requirement for physicians with temporary certificates to become eligible for permanent licenses.

“Florida’s communities depend on qualified physicians especially in underserved and high need areas,” Benarroch said in a statement. “HB 809 creates a clear and sensible pathway for doctors who are already serving Florida patients under temporary certificates to obtain permanent licensure and continue providing essential medical care to the people of our state.”

Benarroch’s statement was released in a press release by the Florida ACN Medical Association, a group representing healthcare professionals with a mission of “improving patient care quality and advancing the field of medicine,” according to its website.

Benarroch, a Marco Island Republican, filed HB 809 on Dec. 17 ahead of the upcoming Regular Legislative Session that convenes Jan. 13.

The bill would permit graduates of Puerto Rican medical schools who got passing scores on the certifying examination from the Puerto Rico Medical Board to get licensed in Florida if they already had temporary certificates in areas of critical need. Other criteria would include that they “actively practiced pursuant to that certificate during the 4-year period immediately preceding the date of the submission of the application” and “obtained a recommendation from the medical director or supervising physician of the approved facility in which the certificateholder practices.” The physicians would need to have “practiced in compliance with applicable board rules and quality standards,” the bill also said.

Another portion of the bill would allow physicians with valid temporary certificates who practice in areas of critical need for a period of at least 2 of the 4 consecutive years to get licensed. In addition, they must have maintained “continuous practice in an approved facility” and earn “a passing score on a national licensure examination or holds a national certification recognized by the board” among other requirements.

The state’s physician shortage is expected to continue to become a growing problem which disproportionately affects rural Floridians compared to the urban areas.

St. Petersburg and Tampa residents looking to wrap up the holiday season can dispose of live Christmas trees through a free pickup service.

The special pickup service for live trees will begin Dec. 29 in St. Petersburg and continue through Feb. 9 for households that submit a request, rather than a citywide sweep like in previous years. Officials said targeted collections are more efficient because of a growing number of households using artificial trees. 

Tampa’s pickup service starts Jan. 2. Tampa residents must cut tree limbs to four feet lengths, bundle them and place them curbside on their regularly scheduled yard waste collection day.

Trees in both cities must be cleared of all lights, ornaments, garland, stands and disposal bags before being set out. Residents should place trees at their normal trash pickup location before 7 a.m. on the scheduled day and avoid leaning them against poles, meters or containers.

St. Petersburg will also accept live tree drop-offs at five brush sites, open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. except on New Year’s Day. Proof of residency is required. Those sites are located at 1000 62nd Ave. NE, 7750 26th Ave. N, 2500 26th Ave. S, 4015 Dr. Martin Luther King St. S, and 2453 20th Ave. N. Additional details and site locations are available at stpete.org/SpecialPickUp and stpete.org/BrushSites.

St. Petersburg residents can schedule a pickup through the SeeClickFix app by submitting a photo of the tree or by calling the Sanitation Department at 727-893-7398. Artificial trees and other large holiday items may be placed in city trash bins if they fit with the lid closed or are scheduled for special pickup through the same request system. 

City of Tampa Utilities customers can call 813-274-8811 or visit the website at www.tampagov.net/solidwaste for more information.