North Carolina HB 536: Physical Therapy Practice Act Modifications.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2026-16
HOUSE BILL 536

*H536-v-4*
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAWS REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF PHYSICAL
THERAPY.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1. G.S. 90-270.90 reads as rewritten:
"Article 18E.
"Physical Therapy.
"§ 90-270.90. Definitions.
In this Article, unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions shall apply:
...
(4) "Physical therapy" means the evaluation or treatment of any person by the use
of physical, chemical, or other properties of heat, light, water, electricity,
sound, massage, or therapeutic exercise, or other rehabilitative procedures,
with or without assistive devices, for the purposes of preventing, correcting,
or alleviating a physical or mental disability. Physical therapy includes the
performance of specialized tests of neuromuscular function, administration of
specialized therapeutic procedures, interpretation and implementation of
referrals from licensed medical doctors or dentists, and establishment and
modification of physical therapy programs for patients. Evaluation and
treatment of patients may involve physical measures, methods, or procedures
as are (i) found commensurate with physical therapy education and training
training, (ii) the standards of acceptable and prevailing physical therapy
practice, and (iii) generally or specifically authorized by regulations of the
Board. Physical therapy education and training shall include study of the
skeletal manifestations of systemic disease. Physical therapy does not include
the application of roentgen rays or radioactive materials, surgery, the practice
of chiropractic, as defined by G.S. 90-143, or medical diagnosis of disease.
...."
SECTION 2. G.S. 90-270.91 reads as rewritten:
"§ 90-270.91. Board of Examiners.
The North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners is hereby created. The Board shall
consist of eight members, including one medical doctor licensed and residing in North Carolina,
four physical therapists, two physical therapist assistants, and one public member. The public
member shall be appointed by the Governor and shall be a person who is not licensed under
Chapter 90 who shall represent the interest of the public at large. The medical doctor, physical
therapists, and physical therapists assistants shall be appointed by the Governor from a list
compiled by the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association, Inc., American Physical Therapy
Association North Carolina (APTANC), following the use of a nomination procedure made
available to all physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed and residing in North
Carolina. In soliciting nominations and compiling its list, the Association will give consideration
to geographic distribution, practice setting (institution, independent, academic, etc.), and other

Page 2 Session Law 2026-16 House Bill 536
factors that will promote representation of all aspects of physical therapy practice on the Board.
The records of the operation of the nomination procedure shall be filed with the Board, to be
available for a period of six months following nomination, for reasonable inspection by any
licensed practitioner. Each physical therapist member of the Board shall be licensed and reside
in this State; provided that the physical therapist shall have not less than three years' experience
as a physical therapist immediately preceding appointment and shall be actively engaged in the
practice of physical therapy in North Carolina during incumbency. Each physical therapist
assistant member shall be licensed and reside in this State; provided that the physical therapist
assistant shall have not less than three years' experience as a physical therapist assistant
immediately preceding appointment and shall be actively engaged in practice as a physical
therapist assistant in North Carolina during incumbency.
Members shall be appointed to serve three-year terms, or until their successors are appointed,
to commence on January 1 in respective years. In the event that a member of the Board for any
reason shall become ineligible to or cannot complete a term of office, another appointment shall
be made by the Governor, in accordance with the procedure stated above, to fill the remainder of
the term. No member may shall serve for more than two successive three-year terms.
The Board may immediately remove a member from the Board if the member is found by the
remainder of the Board to have (i) ceased to meet the qualifications specified in this section, (ii)
failed to attend three successive Board meetings without just cause, (iii) violated any of the
provisions of this Article or rules adopted by the Board, or (iv) otherwise engaged in immoral,
dishonorable, unprofessional, or unethical conduct. Before removing a Board member for
immoral, dishonorable, unprofessional, or unethical conduct, the Board shall further find that the
relevant conduct has compromised the integrity of the Board.
The