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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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An act relating to dry needling by occupational 2
therapists; amending s. 468.203, F.S.; defining the 3
terms "dry needling" and "myofascial trigger point"; 4
creating s. 468.227, F.S.; requiring the Board of 5
Occupational Therapy Practice to establish minimum 6
standards of practice for the performance of dry 7
needling by occupational therapists; providing 8
performance requirements; requiring the board to 9
establish additional supervision and training 10
requirements; requiring the Department of Health to 11
submit a specified report to the Legislature by a 12
specified date; providing construction; providing an 13
effective date. 14
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16
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Section 1. Subsections (3) through (8) of section 468.203, 18
Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5) through 19
(10), respectively, and new subsections (3) and (4) are added to 20
that section, to read: 21
468.203 Definitions.—As used in this act, the term: 22
(3) "Dry needling" has the same meaning as in s. 23
486.021(12). 24
(4) "Myofascial trigger point" has the same meaning as in 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
s. 486.021(13). 26
Section 2. Section 468.227, Florida Statutes, is created 27
to read: 28
468.227 Occupational therapist; performance of dry 29
needling.— 30
(1) The board shall establish minimum standards of 31
practice for the performance of dry needling by occupational 32
therapists, including, but not limited to, all of the following: 33
(a) Completion of 2 years of licensed practice as an 34
occupational therapist. 35
(b) Completion of 50 hours of face-to-face continuing 36
education from an entity approved by the board on the topic of 37
dry needling, which must include a determination by the 38
instructor that the occupational therapist demonstrates the 39
requisite psychomotor skills needed to safely perform dry 40
needling. The continuing education must include instruction in 41
all of the following areas: 42
1. Theory of dry needling. 43
2. Selection and safe handling of needles and other 44
apparatus or equipment used in dry needling, including 45
instruction on the proper handling of biohazardous waste. 46
3. Indications and contraindications for dry needling. 47
4. Psychomotor skills needed to safely perform dry 48
needling. 49
5. Postintervention care, including adverse responses, 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
adverse event recordkeeping, and any reporting obligations. 51
(c)1. Completion of at least 25 patient sessions of dry 52
needling performed under the supervision of an occupational 53
therapist, physical therapist, or chiropractic physician who 54
holds an active license to practice in any state or the District 55
of Columbia, who has actively performed dry needling for at 56
least 1 year, and who documents that he or she has met the 57
supervision and competency requirements and needs no additional 58
supervised sessions to perform dry needling; or 59
2. Completion of 25 patient sessions of dry needling 60
performed as an occupational therapist licensed in any state or 61
in the United States Armed Forces. 62
(d) A requirement that dry needling may not be performed 63
without patient consent and must be a part of a patient's 64
documented plan of care. 65
(e) A requirement that dry needling may not be delegated 66
to any person other than an occupational therapist who is 67
authorized to engage in dry needling under this chapter. 68
(2) The board shall establish additional supervision and 69
training requirements before the performance of dry needling of 70
the head and neck or torso by an occupational therapist if the 71
board deems it necessary for patient safety. 72
(3) The Department of Health shall, within existing 73
resources, submit a report to the President of the Senate and 74
the Speaker of the House of Representatives on or before 75
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
December 31, 2028, detailing the number of occupational 76
therapists in the state, the number of occupational therapists 77
in the state performing dry needling, any increases or decreases 78
in the number of occupational therapists in the state by 79
geographic area, and any adverse medical incidents as defined by 80
the board involving occupational therapists in the state 81
performing dry needling. 82
(4) The performance of dry needling in the practice of 83
occupational therapy does not limit the scope of practice of 84
other licensed health care practitioners not governed by this 85
chapter. 86
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 87