Updates the educational requirements for the practice of physical therapy; requires individuals to have received a doctoral degree or an education determined equivalent in physical therapy.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6696
SPONSOR: Fahy TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the practice of phys-
ical therapy
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to update the educational requirements for
licensure as a physical therapist.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends subdivision b of section 6734 of the education law to
requite a doctoral degree in physical therapy for licensure.
Section 2 amends section 6743 of the education law to ensure that these
changes will in no way affect the validity of existing licenses and
permits. In addition, an applicant for licensure in New York who is
currently licensed in another state shall meet the educational require-
ment in place at the time he or she received their initial license.
Section 3 is effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
All physical therapist educational programs in New York have required a
clinical doctorate degree (DPT) since 2006. Physical therapists graduat-
ing from the doctorate level programs receive extensive training in the
evaluation of patients' condition. Physical therapists also treat and
rehabilitate a broad range of neuromusculoskeletal injuries and are an
integral part of New York's health care system. This amendment is neces-
sary to reflect the national accrediting standards (nationally the DPT
is the required degree for accredited entry-level physical therapist
programs) and New York's own educational requirements. This bill will
update current licensing laws to more accurately reflect today's educa-
tional standards for the profession since, as noted above, all entry-
level physical therapist programs in New York State, and across the
country, are at the doctoral level.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATION:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One year after it shall have become law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6696
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 2, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the practice of phys-
ical therapy
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision b of section 6734 of the education law, as
2 amended by chapter 410 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 b. Education: have received an education, including [completion of] a
5 [master's] doctoral degree [or higher] in physical therapy or determined
6 to be equivalent, in accordance with the commissioner's regulations;
7 § 2. Section 6743 of the education law is amended by adding a new
8 subdivision 3 to read as follows:
9 3. Amendments to the educational requirement in subdivision b of
10 section sixty-seven hundred thirty-four of this article made by a chap-
11 ter of the laws of two thousand twenty-three shall not be construed to
12 affect the validity of existing licenses and permits.
13 § 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
14 law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment, and/or repeal of
15 any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on
16 its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before
17 such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10484-05-3
