The Florida Senate

485.003  Definitions.--In construing this chapter, the words, phrases, or terms, unless the context otherwise indicates, shall have the following meanings:

(1)  "Hypnosis" shall mean hypnosis, hypnotism, mesmerism, posthypnotic suggestion, or any similar act or process which produces or is intended to produce in any person any form of induced sleep or trance in which the susceptibility of the person's mind to suggestion or direction is increased or is intended to be increased, where such a condition is used or intended to be used in the treatment of any human ill, disease, injury, or for any other therapeutic purpose.

(2)  "Healing arts" shall mean the practice of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, dentistry, osteopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, naturopathy, podiatric medicine, chiropody, psychology, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, and optometry.

(3)  "Practitioner of the healing arts" shall mean a person licensed under the laws of the state to practice medicine, surgery, psychiatry, dentistry, osteopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, naturopathy, podiatric medicine, chiropody, psychology, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, or optometry within the scope of his or her professional training and competence and within the purview of the statutes applicable to his or her respective profession, and who may refer a patient for treatment by a qualified person, who shall employ hypnotic techniques under the supervision, direction, prescription, and responsibility of such referring practitioner.

(4)  "Qualified person" shall mean a person deemed by the referring practitioner to be qualified by both professional training and experience to be competent to employ hypnotic technique for therapeutic purposes, under supervision, direction, or prescription.

History.--s. 3, ch. 61-506; s. 2, ch. 65-170; s. 1, ch. 95-279; s. 195, ch. 97-103; s. 1, ch. 97-198; s. 193, ch. 97-264; ss. 196, 268, ch. 98-166; s. 201, ch. 2000-160.

Note.--Former s. 456.32.