By: King of Taylor (Senate Sponsor - Nelson) H.B. No. 4281
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 18, 2009;
  May 19, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Health
  and Human Services; May 21, 2009, reported favorably by the
  following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 21, 2009, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to continuing education requirements for physical
  therapists.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 453.254, Occupations Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 453.254.  [MANDATORY] CONTINUING COMPETENCE
  [EDUCATION].  (a)  The board by rule shall:
               (1)  [assess the continuing education needs of license
  holders and] adopt requirements for [mandatory] continuing
  competence [education] for license holders in subjects pertaining
  to the practice of physical therapy;
               (2)  establish a minimum number [of hours] of
  continuing competence units [education] required to renew a
  license; and
               (3)  develop a process to [evaluate and] approve
  continuing competence activities [education courses].
         (b)  The board may require license holders to complete
  [attend] continuing competence activities [education courses]
  specified by the board. The board shall adopt a procedure to assess
  a license holder's participation and performance in continuing
  competence activities [education programs].
         (c)  The board may [shall] identify the key factors for the
  competent performance by a license holder of the license holder's
  professional duties.
         (d)  In developing a process under Subsection (a) for the
  [evaluation and] approval of continuing competence activities
  [education courses], the board may [shall] authorize appropriate
  [license holder peer] organizations to [evaluate and] approve the
  activities [courses in accordance with the established process].
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
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