Governor Scott signs Physical Therapist/PTA Temporary License Bill into Law

Physical Therapists and Physical Therapists Assistants graduating from Florida based PT and PTA programs will be able to obtain temporary licensure thanks to Governor Rick Scott signing HB 799 into law on Friday, April 6, 2012.

With Governor’s Scott’s signature HB 799 will become law effective June 1.

HB 799 was a major priority of the Florida Physical Therapy Association (FPTA) along with the state’s 11 Physical Therapy and 15 Physical Therapy Assistant schools.

Passage of the legislation can be attributed to the hard work of our PT and PTA students, faculty, and FPTA leadership and legislative counsel.

As a recap, HB 799 and its companion SB 1228 were heard in a total of six committees of reference and passed every single committee without objection. On final passage in the Florida House of Representatives HB 799 passed 114-0 and then passed 36-0 in the Florida Senate.

While process barriers were ever present during the 2012 session, the legislation steamed on toward final passage. However, it wasn’t until the final day, March 9 at 11:22 p.m. that HB 799 achieved final passage and was enrolled. On Friday, March 23, the Florida House of Representatives procedurally released HB 799 from its purview to be considered by Florida Governor Rick Scott.

As mentioned previously, Governor Scott signed the bill into law Friday, April 6. FPTA’s strategy was textbook advocacy for taking an idea and making it a law.

Thank you to the following legislative sponsors:

• Rep. Tom Goodson, R-Titusville
• Senator Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee