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, both categories of applicants must pass a national examination recognized by the State Board of Physical Therapy. The application fee is capped at three hundred dollars, as established by the board.

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 other visits, the supervising therapist must be 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