Bill > S874

This bill revises statutes concerning the practice of physical therapy by, among other things, defining "animal physical therapy" as the evaluation and treatment of non-human clients in collaboration with a veterinarian, and introducing "general supervision" for physical therapist assistants, which allows the supervising physical therapist to be available by telecommunications rather than requiring them to be on-site. The bill also expands the definition of physical therapy practice to include promoting fitness, health, wellness, and prevention services, and allows students to take the national physical therapy examination before graduation under certain conditions. Additionally, it requires licensees to display notices about their licensure and fee information, and clarifies that continuing education requirements are now referred to as "continuing professional competency," which is defined as a lifelong process of maintaining and documenting knowledge, skills, and behaviors. The bill also introduces a new criminal offense for practicing physical therapy without a valid license or while under a disciplinary order, classifying it as a third-degree crime.