Law / United States / Delaware
House Bill 191 (2026), medical professional title protection against nonhuman and AI entities
A citation is an address, not a summary. The first part names the law; what follows narrows it to the exact section, article or paragraph.
In force.
An AI prohibited practices rule binding public and private bodies.
As of 8 September 2026.
What it requires
- Do not license, certify, or hold out as licensed a nonhuman entity or AI agent to practice medicine, professional nursing, advanced practice registered nursing, practical nursing, or as a physician associate in Delaware.
- Do not let an AI system or agent use a protected physician, physician associate, or nursing title or abbreviation, including Doctor, Dr., Physician, Surgeon, Medical Doctor, MD, Doctor of Osteopathy, DO, Physician Associate, PA, Nurse, Registered Nurse, RN, Licensed Practical Nurse, LPN, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, APRN, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA, Clinical Nurse Specialist, CNS, Certified Nurse Practitioner, CNP, or Certified Nurse Midwife, CNM.
If you get it wrong
Criminal exposureYes
Criminal exposure note
A person who practices or attempts to practice medicine contrary to Title 24, Chapter 17, which reaches the sec. 1720(k)-(l) bar on a nonhuman entity being certified to practice medicine or using a physician title, is guilty of a class F felony under sec. 1766(a), fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 and imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both. A violation of Chapter 17 for which no other penalty is specified is a class B misdemeanor under sec. 1766(c). Representing a nonhuman entity as a physician associate contrary to Subchapter VI is fined not less than $500 nor more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both, under sec. 1774B(b). Using a protected nursing title or abbreviation for an entity not licensed under Chapter 19 is fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both, under sec. 1925.
Who enforces it
Enforcement body
Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline, Regulatory Council for Physician Associates, and Board of Nursing, within the Division of Professional Regulation; the Delaware Department of Justice through Superior Court prosecution
What it reaches
Obligation class
Prohibition
What this law does
Drafted with AI from the cited sources under the direction of UnGovr staff. UnGovr holds editorial responsibility for this page.
House Bill 191's progress status on the General Assembly's own bill tracker reads Signed 4/23/26. It amended Title 24 to add that a nonhuman entity, including an agent powered by artificial intelligence, may not be certified to practice medicine under sec. 1720(k). It may not be licensed as a physician associate under sec. 1773(d). It may not be licensed to practice professional nursing, as an advanced practice registered nurse, or as a practical nurse under sec. 1920(h).
The same sections separately bar such a nonhuman entity or AI agent from using the physician titles Doctor, Dr., Physician, surgeon, Medical doctor, MD, Doctor of osteopathy, and DO under sec. 1720(l). They bar it from using the title physician associate or the abbreviation PA under sec. 1773(d).
They bar it from using the nursing titles Advanced Practice Registered Nurse or APRN, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA, Clinical Nurse Specialist or CNS, Certified Nurse Practitioner or CNP, Certified Nurse Midwife or CNM, Nurse, Registered Nurse or RN, Licensed Practical Nurse or LPN, and Doctor or Dr. under sec. 1920(i).
A person who practices or attempts to practice medicine contrary to Chapter 17, which reaches the sec. 1720(k)-(l) bar, is guilty of a class F felony under sec. 1766(a), fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 and imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both. A violation of Chapter 17 for which no other penalty is specified is a class B misdemeanor under sec. 1766(c).
Representing a nonhuman entity as a physician associate contrary to Subchapter VI is separately fined not less than $500 nor more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both, under sec. 1774B(b). Using a protected nursing title or abbreviation for an entity not licensed under Chapter 19 is fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both, under sec. 1925.
When LexLint raises it
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Read the law
Delaware Code Online
current codified text of Title 24, Chapter 17, Subchapters III, V and VI, and Chapter 19 (enacted as House Bill 191, 85 Del. Laws, c. 250)