California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1000

Introduced by Assembly Member Wieckowski

February 22, 2013

An act to amend Section 2630 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to physical therapy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1000, as introduced, Wieckowski. Physical therapy.

Existing law, until January 1, 2014, establishes the Physical Therapy Board of California, which oversees the licensing and regulation of physical therapists. Existing law prohibits any person or persons from practicing or offering to practice physical therapy in this state for compensation, or to hold himself or herself out as a physical therapist, unless he or she holds a valid license, as specified.

This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to these provisions.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 2630 of the Business and Professions
Code is amended to read:

2630.  

It is unlawful for any person or persons to practice, or
offer to practice, physical therapy in this state for compensation
received or expected, or to hold himself or herself out as a physical
therapist, unless at the time of so doing begin delete the person end delete begin insert he or she end insert holds
a valid, unexpired, and unrevoked license issued under this chapter.

Nothing in this section shall restrict the activities authorized by
their licenses on the part of any persons licensed under this code
or any initiative act, or the activities authorized to be performed
pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 2655) or Chapter
7.7 (commencing with Section 3500).

A physical therapist licensed pursuant to this chapter may utilize
the services of one aide engaged in patient-related tasks to assist
the physical therapist in his or her practice of physical therapy.
“Patient-related task” means a physical therapy service rendered
directly to the patient by an aide, excluding non-patient-related
tasks. “Non-patient-related task” means a task related to
observation of the patient, transport of the patient, physical support
only during gait or transfer training, housekeeping duties, clerical
duties, and similar functions. The aide shall at all times be under
the orders, direction, and immediate supervision of the physical
therapist. Nothing in this section shall authorize an aide to
independently perform physical therapy or any physical therapy
procedure. The board shall adopt regulations that set forth the
standards and requirements for the orders, direction, and immediate
supervision of an aide by a physical therapist. The physical
therapist shall provide continuous and immediate supervision of
the aide. The physical therapist shall be in the same facility as, and
in proximity to, the location where the aide is performing
patient-related tasks, and shall be readily available at all times to
provide advice or instruction to the aide. When patient-related
tasks are provided to a patient by an aide, the supervising physical
therapist shall, at some point during the treatment day, provide
direct service to the patient as treatment for the patient’s condition,
or to further evaluate and monitor the patient’s progress, and shall
correspondingly document the patient’s record.

The administration of massage, external baths, or normal exercise
not a part of a physical therapy treatment shall not be prohibited
by this section.