The bill amends several sections of South Dakota law regarding the licensure and supervision requirements for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Key changes include the removal of the requirement for a written application and the addition of a new requirement for applicants to present evidence of good moral, ethical, and professional character. Additionally, the bill specifies that applicants must pass a national examination recognized by the board and clarifies the educational requirements for both physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, allowing for equivalent courses of professional instruction to be accepted.

Furthermore, the bill revises the supervision standards for physical therapist assistants. It establishes that a supervising physical therapist must perform a comprehensive assessment of the patient and create a plan of care before assigning tasks to the assistant. The supervising therapist is required to be present for a certain number of patient visits and must be available for consultation during other visits. These changes aim to enhance the quality of care provided by physical therapist assistants while ensuring proper oversight by licensed physical therapists.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/27/2025: 36-10-27, 36-10-29, 36-10-35.1, 36-10-35.8, 36-10-35.9