2nd House Committee To Consider PT Licensure-Renewal Legislation, Now With Dry Needling

Posted: Feb. 14, 2018

The Colorado House is to consider on Monday, March 5, HB18-1155, Sunset Continue Physical Therapy Board Functions, following its recent amending and passage by the House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee.

Among other things, the bill, if passed and signed into law by the governor, extends the licensing of physical therapists and the certification of physical therapist assistants until 2027.

APTA worked to successfully amend the bill to include dry needling in the PT practice act as part of the expected continuation of physical therapy licensure. While Colorado PTs have long been permitted to practice dry needling, and this has been clarified in the State Physical Therapy Board's Rule 211, the technique has come under fire from acupuncturists and acupuncture schools.

Monday's committee hearing wil be at 1:30 p.m. Room LSB-A of the Capitol complex's Legislative Services Building. It's currently the second bill to be considered that afternoon by the committee.

Members: To join APTA Colorado's Dry Needling Discussion Circle, click here (you must be signed in to the APTA website).