SB226 Summary

• Defines "impaired licensee" and creates an impaired practitioner program beginning January 1, 2014, including establishment of an Alabama Physical Therapy Wellness Committee to identify, treat, and rehabilitate impaired physical therapy licensees.

• Changes terminology from "registered" to "licensed" for physical therapists and from "foreign trained" to "foreign educated" for foreign physical therapists throughout the Alabama Physical Therapy Practice Act.

• Transfers certain board duties from the secretary to an executive director and authorizes the board to establish the executive director's compensation.

• Authorizes the board to place restrictions on licenses as part of disciplinary action and to collect fees from continuing education providers.

• Clarifies definitions of physical therapist assistant, physical therapy technician, and physical therapy aide to remove inconsistencies.