State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners - Revisions
Summary
HB3 makes several administrative changes to the Maryland Physical Therapy Act and the State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. It clarifies the statutory definition of “physical therapist assistant” to specify that the individual is licensed by the Board, practices limited physical therapy, and has passed the national licensing examination accepted by the Board.
The bill also expands and restructures the Board’s membership from 8 to 9 members. It keeps five licensed physical therapists and two consumer members, but changes the assistant representation from one physical therapist assistant member to two physical therapist assistant members. The appointment process is updated accordingly, and each assistant member must have five years of experience in limited physical therapy and be actively engaged in that profession in Maryland.
HB3 further changes license renewal notice procedures. Instead of sending renewal notices by first-class mail by default, the Board must send them electronically to the licensee’s last known email address, unless the licensee requests paper mail. If an electronic notice is returned as undeliverable, the Board must then send a first-class mail notice. These changes are intended to modernize Board communications and reduce reliance on postal mail.
The bill affects the Health Occupations Article, particularly provisions governing the Board’s composition, the definition of physical therapist assistant, and license renewal administration. Its practical impact is on physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, licensees subject to renewal, and the Board itself, which must adjust appointment and notice practices beginning July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB3 amends Title 13 of the Health Occupations Article by revising the Maryland Physical Therapy Act’s definition of “physical therapist assistant,” increasing the State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners from 8 to 9 members, and changing renewal-notice requirements from default first-class mail to default electronic notice. The bill directly affects Board governance, appointment criteria, and license renewal procedures for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, while preserving consumer representation and adding another assistant seat on the Board.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly noncontroversial. It passed the House and Senate unanimously, with recorded votes of 134-0 and 47-0, and there is no committee transcript indicating opposition or significant debate. The unanimous votes suggest general agreement that the measure is a routine professional licensing and administrative update rather than a contested policy change.
Contention
No notable substantive contention is reflected in the available record. The only potentially sensitive changes are the shift from paper to electronic renewal notices and the rebalancing of Board membership to add a second physical therapist assistant seat, but the unanimous votes indicate these provisions were accepted without recorded opposition. Any concerns would likely have centered on administrative convenience, notice reliability, or professional representation on the Board, but none are documented in the provided materials.