House Bill 438 establishes a new Board of Physical, Rehabilitative, and Developmental Health Care Professionals, which will oversee the licensing and regulation of athletic trainers, occupational therapy practitioners, physical therapy examiners, and speech-language pathologists and audiologists. The board will consist of 12 members, including professionals from each of these fields and a public member, ensuring that only qualified individuals are permitted to practice in these health professions. The bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect this new structure, specifically sections 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, and 37-36-201, and includes provisions for the board's organizational duties and rulemaking authority.

Additionally, the bill repeals multiple sections of the MCA that pertained to the old boards for physical therapy examiners, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, and occupational therapy practice, streamlining the regulatory framework for these health care professionals. It directs the code commissioner to update references to the old boards in future legislation to reflect the new board's name. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and includes provisions for the preservation of rights and duties that existed prior to its enactment.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_1(1): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_1(2): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_1(3): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_1(4): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_1(5): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_1: 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(1): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(2): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(3): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(4): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(5): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(6): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(7): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(8): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X(9): 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201
HB0438_X: 37-11-101, 37-15-102, 37-24-103, 37-36-101, 37-36-201