THE BILL ITSELF
SB 1262
Physical Therapy Treatment Plans
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1262 By Senator DiCeglie 18-01279A-26 20261262__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to physical therapy treatment plans;
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amending s. 486.021, F.S.; exempting specified
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services from the requirement that a physical
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therapist have a practitioner of record review and
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sign a plan of treatment; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (11) of section
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486.021, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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486.021 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, unless the
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context otherwise requires, the term:
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(11) “Practice of physical therapy” means the performance
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of physical therapy assessments and the treatment of any
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disability, injury, disease, or other health condition of human
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beings, or the prevention of such disability, injury, disease,
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or other health condition, and the rehabilitation of such
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disability, injury, disease, or other health condition by
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alleviating impairments, functional movement limitations, and
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disabilities by designing, implementing, and modifying treatment
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interventions through therapeutic exercise; functional movement
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training in self-management and in-home, community, or work
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integration or reintegration; manual therapy; massage; airway
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clearance techniques; maintaining and restoring the
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integumentary system and wound care; physical agent or modality;
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mechanical or electrotherapeutic modality; patient-related
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instruction; the use of apparatus and equipment in the
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application of such treatment, prevention, or rehabilitation;
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the performance of tests of neuromuscular functions as an aid to
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the diagnosis or treatment of any human condition; or the
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performance of electromyography as an aid to the diagnosis of
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any human condition only upon compliance with the criteria set
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forth by the Board of Medicine.
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(a) A physical therapist may implement a plan of treatment
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developed by the physical therapist for a patient or provided
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for a patient by a practitioner of record or by an advanced
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practice registered nurse licensed under s. 464.012. The
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physical therapist shall refer the patient to or consult with a
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practitioner of record if the patient’s condition is found to be
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outside the scope of physical therapy. If physical therapy
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treatment for a patient is required beyond 30 days for a
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condition not previously assessed by a practitioner of record,
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the physical therapist shall have a practitioner of record
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review and sign the plan. The requirement that a physical
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therapist have a practitioner of record review and sign a plan
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of treatment does not apply :
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1. When a patient has been physically examined by a
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physician licensed in another state, the patient has been
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diagnosed by the physician as having a condition for which
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physical therapy is required, and the physical therapist is
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treating the condition ; or
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2. To services provided for purposes of health promotion,
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injury prevention, wellness, or fitness .
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For purposes of this paragraph, a health care practitioner
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licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter
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461, or chapter 466 and engaged in active practice is eligible
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to serve as a practitioner of record.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.