Bill > HB0188

This bill provides comprehensive regulations for dry needling practices by physical therapists and occupational therapists in Utah. Specifically, the bill establishes detailed requirements for practitioners to perform dry needling, including mandatory training of at least 304 total course hours (with 54 hours of in-person instruction and 250 supervised patient treatment hours), mandatory registration with the state division, and filing of course completion certificates. The legislation expands the definition of physical therapy and occupational therapy to explicitly include dry needling as a therapeutic technique and allows these practitioners to evaluate, initiate, and provide treatment without requiring a referral from another healthcare provider. The bill also updates various definitional sections to use more inclusive language (replacing "person" with "individual") and adds provisions to ensure that practitioners have received appropriate training as determined by the division in collaboration with the relevant licensing board. Additionally, the bill sets an effective date of May 7, 2025, and repeals a previous section on trigger point dry needling registration, indicating a comprehensive update to the existing regulations governing these healthcare practices.

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https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/HB0188.html