The bill amends several sections of South Dakota's physical therapy licensure laws to update the requirements for both physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Key changes include the stipulation that applicants must present evidence of good moral, ethical, and professional character, as well as proof of graduation from an accredited program or an equivalent course of instruction. Additionally, applicants must pass an English proficiency examination or demonstrate sufficient education in English. The application fee remains capped at three hundred dollars, and both physical therapists and physical therapist assistants must pass a national examination recognized by the State Board of Physical Therapy.

The bill also revises supervision requirements for physical therapist assistants. A physical therapist may supervise no more than two full-time assistants at any given time and can delegate supervision responsibilities to another physical therapist. The supervising physical therapist is required to conduct a comprehensive patient assessment and establish a care plan before assigning tasks to the assistant. Furthermore, the supervising therapist must be present for a minimum of one out of every ten patient visits or at least once every thirty days, with the option to utilize interactive technology for supervision. During visits when the supervising therapist is not present, they must remain readily available for consultation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/27/2025: 36-10-27, 36-10-29, 36-10-35.1, 36-10-35.8, 36-10-35.9
Senate Health and Human Services Engrossed, 02/10/2025: 36-10-27, 36-10-29, 36-10-35.1, 36-10-35.8, 36-10-35.9
Enrolled, 03/04/2025: 36-10-27, 36-10-29, 36-10-35.1, 36-10-35.8, 36-10-35.9