BILL NUMBER: AB 2868	CHAPTERED  09/07/06

	CHAPTER  222
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 7, 2006
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 7, 2006
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 14, 2006
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 10, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 29, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 29, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bogh
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Cohn)

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2006

   An act to amend Section 2633 of the Business and Professions Code,
relating to healing arts.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2868, Bogh  Physical therapists.
   Existing law, the Physical Therapy Practice Act, provides for the
licensure and regulation of physical therapists by the Physical
Therapy Board of California in the Department of Consumer Affairs,
and makes a violation of the act's provisions a crime. Existing law
prohibits a physical therapist from using the prefix "Dr.," the word
"doctor," or any suffix or affix indicating that the person is a
doctor or a physician and surgeon.
   This bill would authorize a licensed physical therapist holding a
doctoral degree in physical therapy or in a related health science,
after that term is defined in regulations adopted by the board, to
use the term "doctor" and doctoral degree abbreviations, as
specified, with the licensee's name if certain requirements are met.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 2633 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
   2633.  (a) A person holding a license as a physical therapist
issued by the board may use the title "physical therapist" or the
letters "P.T." or any other words, letters, or figures that indicate
that the person using same is a licensed physical therapist. No other
person shall be so designated or shall use the term licensed or
registered physical therapist, licensed or registered
physiotherapist, licensed or registered physical therapy technician,
or the letters "L.P.T.," "R.P.T.," or "P.T.".
   (b) A licensed physical therapist who has received a doctoral
degree in physical therapy (DPT) or, after adoption of the
regulations described in subdivision (d), a doctoral degree in a
related health science may do the following:
   (1) In a written communication, use the initials DPT, PhD, or EdD,
as applicable, following the licensee's name.
   (2) In a written communication, use the title "Doctor" or the
abbreviation "Dr." preceding the licensee's name, if the licensee's
name is immediately followed by an unabbreviated specification of the
applicable doctoral degree held by the licensee.
   (3) In a spoken communication while engaged in the practice of
physical therapy, use the title "doctor" preceding the person's name,
if the speaker specifies that he or she is a physical therapist.
   (c) A doctoral degree described in subdivision (b) shall be
granted by an institution accredited by the Western Association of
Schools and Colleges or by an accrediting agency recognized by the
National Commission on Accrediting or the United States Department of
Education that the board determines is equivalent to the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges.
   (d) The board shall define, by regulation, the doctoral degrees
that are in a related health science for purposes of subdivision (b).