Florida Senate - 2012 SB 1228
By Senator Montford
6-00734A-12 20121228__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the practice of physical therapy;
3 creating ss. 486.086 and 486.1081, F.S.; requiring the
4 Board of Physical Therapy Practice within the
5 Department of Health to issue a temporary permit
6 authorizing a person to practice as a physical
7 therapist or physical therapist assistant under
8 certain conditions; providing when a temporary permit
9 becomes void; authorizing a person to continue to
10 practice as a physical therapist or physical therapist
11 assistant until the person is issued a license by the
12 board; prohibiting the board from renewing a temporary
13 permit to practice as a physical therapist or physical
14 therapist assistant; requiring that a person who has a
15 current temporary permit to practice as a physical
16 therapist or physical therapist assistant receive
17 direct supervision at all times from a physical
18 therapist; providing duties and requirements for the
19 supervising physical therapist; prohibiting the
20 supervising physical therapist from supervising more
21 than one physical therapist or physical therapist
22 assistant; providing a definition; prohibiting a
23 person who submits an application for a temporary
24 permit from working as a physical therapist or
25 physical therapist assistant until the board issues a
26 temporary permit to the person; providing an effective
27 date.
28
29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
30
31 Section 1. Section 486.086, Florida Statutes, is created to
32 read:
33 486.086 Temporary permit for physical therapists.—
34 (1) The board shall issue a temporary permit to practice as
35 a physical therapist to a person who applies for the temporary
36 permit and who:
37 (a) Has graduated from a physical therapy program located
38 in the United States which is accredited by the Commission on
39 Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education;
40 (b) Is scheduled to take the first available national
41 physical therapy exam for physical therapists after graduation;
42 (c) Submits documentation to the board which verifies that
43 the person will be directly supervised by a physical therapist
44 who has been licensed under this chapter for at least 6 months;
45 (d) Passes an examination on state laws and rules related
46 to physical therapy practice; and
47 (e) Submits proof of malpractice insurance to the board.
48 (2) When the results of the first available national
49 physical therapy exam for physical therapists are disseminated
50 and published, the temporary permit is void unless the person
51 achieves a passing score on the exam.
52 (3) A person who is issued a temporary permit and receives
53 a passing score on the national physical therapy exam for
54 physical therapists may continue to practice as a physical
55 therapist until the person is issued a license following the
56 next meeting of the board. When the board issues the license to
57 the person, his or her temporary permit is void.
58 (4) The board may not renew a temporary permit to practice
59 as a physical therapist.
60 (5)(a) Any person who has a current temporary permit to
61 practice as a physical therapist must receive direct supervision
62 at all times from a physical therapist pursuant to rules adopted
63 by the board.
64 (b) The supervising physical therapist must:
65 1. Have been licensed under this chapter for at least 6
66 months before supervising a person who holds a temporary permit
67 to practice as a physical therapist; and
68 2. Cosign all patient records, medical records, or other
69 documentation produced by the person who holds a temporary
70 permit to practice as a physical therapist.
71 (c) The supervising physical therapist may not supervise
72 more than one person who holds a temporary permit to practice as
73 a physical therapist.
74 (d) As used in this section, the term “direct supervision”
75 means supervision by a physical therapist who is licensed under
76 this chapter. Except in a case of emergency, direct supervision
77 requires the physical presence of the licensed physical
78 therapist for consultation and direction of the actions of a
79 physical therapist who is practicing under a temporary permit
80 and who is a candidate for licensure by examination.
81 (6) A person who submits an application for a temporary
82 permit to practice as a physical therapist may not begin work as
83 a physical therapist until the board issues the temporary
84 permit.
85 Section 2. Section 486.1081, Florida Statutes, is created
86 to read:
87 486.1081 Temporary permit for physical therapist
88 assistants.—
89 (1) The board shall issue a temporary permit to practice as
90 a physical therapist assistant to a person who applies for the
91 temporary permit and who:
92 (a) Has graduated from a physical therapy assistant program
93 located in the United States which is accredited by the
94 Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education;
95 (b) Is scheduled to take the first available national
96 physical therapy exam for physical therapist assistants after
97 graduation;
98 (c) Submits documentation to the board which verifies that
99 the person will be directly supervised by a physical therapist
100 who has been licensed under this chapter for at least 6 months;
101 (d) Passes an examination on state laws and rules related
102 to physical therapy practice; and
103 (e) Submits proof of malpractice insurance to the board.
104 (2) When the results of the first available national
105 physical therapy exam for physical therapist assistants are
106 disseminated and published, the temporary permit is void unless
107 the person achieves a passing score on the exam.
108 (3) A person who is issued a temporary permit and receives
109 a passing score on the national physical therapy exam for
110 physical therapy assistants may continue to practice as a
111 physical therapist assistant until the person is issued a
112 license following the next meeting of the board. When the board
113 issues the license to the person, his or her temporary permit is
114 void.
115 (4) The board may not renew a temporary permit to practice
116 as a physical therapist assistant.
117 (5)(a) Any person who has a current temporary permit to
118 practice as a physical therapist assistant must receive direct
119 supervision at all times from a physical therapist pursuant to
120 rules adopted by the board.
121 (b) The supervising physical therapist must:
122 1. Have been licensed under this chapter for at least 6
123 months before supervising a person who holds a temporary permit
124 to practice as a physical therapist assistant; and
125 2. Cosign all patient records, medical records, or other
126 documentation produced by the person who holds a temporary
127 permit to practice as a physical therapist assistant.
128 (c) The supervising physical therapist may not supervise
129 more than one person who holds a temporary permit to practice as
130 a physical therapist assistant.
131 (d) As used in this section, the term “direct supervision”
132 means supervision by a physical therapist who is licensed under
133 this chapter. Except in a case of emergency, direct supervision
134 requires the physical presence of the licensed physical
135 therapist for consultation and direction of the actions of a
136 physical therapist assistant who is practicing under a temporary
137 permit and who is a candidate for licensure by examination.
138 (6) A person who submits an application for a temporary
139 permit to practice as a physical therapist assistant may not
140 begin work as a physical therapist assistant until the board
141 issues the temporary permit.
142 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.