Senate Bill 1262 (2026) — Physical therapy treatment plans
SB 1262
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2026 SB By Senator DiCeglie 18-01279A-26 20261262__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled
An act relating to physical therapy treatment plans; 2 amending s. 486.021, F.S.; exempting specified services from the requirement that a physical therapist have a practitioner of record review and sign a plan of treatment; providing an effective date. 6
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
Section 1. Paragraph
(
a) of subsection (11) of
section 10 486.021, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 11 486.021
Definitions.—As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the term: 13 (11) “Practice of physical therapy” means the performance of physical therapy assessments and the treatment of any disability, injury, disease, or other health condition of human beings, or the prevention of such disability, injury, disease, 17 or other health condition, and the rehabilitation of such disability, injury, disease, or other health condition by alleviating impairments, functional movement limitations, and disabilities by designing, implementing, and modifying treatment interventions through therapeutic exercise; functional movement training in self-management and in-home, community, or work integration or reintegration; manual therapy; massage; airway clearance techniques; maintaining and restoring the integumentary system and wound care; physical agent or modality; 26 mechanical or electrotherapeutic modality; patient-related instruction; the use of apparatus and equipment in the application of such treatment, prevention, or rehabilitation; 29 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1262 18-01279A-26 20261262__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. the performance of tests of neuromuscular functions as an aid to the diagnosis or treatment of any human condition; or the performance of electromyography as an aid to the diagnosis of any human condition only upon compliance with the criteria set forth by the Board of Medicine. 34
(
a) A physical therapist may implement a plan of treatment developed by the physical therapist for a patient or provided for a patient by a practitioner of record or by an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under s. 464.012. The physical therapist shall refer the patient to or consult with a practitioner of record if the patient’s condition is found to be outside the scope of physical therapy.
If physical therapy treatment for a patient is required beyond days for a condition not previously assessed by a practitioner of record, 43 the physical therapist shall have a practitioner of record review and sign the plan. The requirement that a physical therapist have a practitioner of record review and sign a plan of treatment does not apply: 47 1. When a patient has been physically examined by a physician licensed in another state, the patient has been diagnosed by the physician as having a condition for which physical therapy is required, and the physical therapist is treating the condition; or 52 2.
To services provided for purposes of health promotion, 53 injury prevention, wellness, or fitness. 54 For purposes of this paragraph, a health care practitioner licensed under
chapter 458,
chapter 459,
chapter 460,
chapter 57 461, or
chapter and engaged in active practice is eligible Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1262 18-01279A-26 20261262__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. to serve as a practitioner of record. 59