House Bill 5014 (As Introduced)

Contact: Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Summary

Topic: Physical Therapists
Sponsor: Representative VanderVeen
Committee:House Health Policy
Date Introduced: July 10, 2001
Date of Summary: July 27, 2001

The bill amends the Public Health Code and creates the Physical Therapy Professional Fund established in the State Treasury. A total of 10% of the money collected by fees is to be credited to the fund. The money in the fund may be expended only for the establishment and operation of a physical therapy continuing education program. The State Treasurer is required to direct the investment of the physical therapy professional fund and shall credit interest and earnings from the investment to the fund. The fund may receive gifts and devises and other money as provided by law. The unencumbered balance at the end of the fiscal year remains in the fund and not revert to the general fund.

The bill also established the definition for a physical therapists assistant and defines the practice of physical therapy. The bill requires that upon renewal of a physical therapy license the board must be furnished with satisfactory evidence that during the 2 years immediately preceding an application the licensee has attended continuing education courses or programs approved by the board and totaling not less than 40 hours in subjects related to the practice of physical therapy.

The board is required to promulgate rules requiring each applicant for license renewal to complete as part of continuing education requirements an appropriate number of hours of courses in pain and symptom management.

Physical therapists are required to adhere to the recognized standards of ethics and standards of practice as may be established by the profession and by rules.

A person or its employees may not imply directly and indirectly that physical therapy is provided, including billing services labeled as physical therapy, unless such services are provided by or under the direction of a physical therapist.

Senate Bill 620 introduced by Senator Schwartz is identical to this bill and is currently in Senate Health Policy.