All Roll Calls
Yes: 122 • No: 25
OregonHB 38242025 Regular SessionHouse
Relating to physical therapy; and prescribing an effective date.
Sponsored By: Kim Wallan (Republican)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
16 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 2 costs, 6 mixed.
Stronger protections against exploitation by physical therapists
Oregon’s physical therapy board can discipline physical therapists and assistants who abuse a professional-patient relationship to pressure or exploit someone. This covers people they supervise, evaluate, or otherwise hold authority over.
Stronger sexual misconduct protections for patients
Therapists and assistants face discipline for sexual conduct or solicitation involving current patients. This includes advances, requests, expressions, or gestures that patients could reasonably understand as sexual. Beginning July 1, 2027, sexual contact with former patients can also count as misconduct. It must exploit trust, knowledge, or emotions from the professional relationship.
Therapy patients get clearer provider credentials
Therapists must use “P.T” or “physical therapist” in practice-related advertising and correspondence. Therapists and assistants must display their license or current renewal proof where the public can see it. Both professions must follow the professional ethics standards named in law and established through board rules.
Clearer care rights for therapy patients
Therapists manage each patient’s evaluations, diagnosis, treatment plan, progress checks, and discharge records, and must obtain informed consent before treatment. Assistants and aides work under therapist supervision; remote supervision is allowed unless on-site supervision is required. On-site supervision requires the therapist’s physical presence, immediate availability, and continued involvement in necessary care. Assistants must document and bill accurately and follow patient privacy laws; aides may perform delegated routine tasks. Therapists must disclose direct financial interests in recommended products and document those disclosures in patient records.
Physical therapists can offer more services
Physical therapists can provide dry needling after meeting training requirements set by board rule. Beginning July 1, 2027, therapists using sonography solely for physical therapy are exempt from Oregon’s separate sonography requirements. That exemption does not cover other equipment uses. Therapists may also purchase, store, and administer topical and aerosol medicines as part of therapy under pharmacy rules.
Therapists can certify disability parking applications
Beginning July 1, 2027, licensed physical therapists can certify disability for Oregon individual disabled parking placard or decal applications. The certificate must be signed and dated within six months before application and include the therapist’s state license number. The application must include an Oregon transportation-issued driver license, permit, identification card, or parking identification card number.
Therapy negligence claims require board reporting
Beginning July 1, 2027, insurers and other covered reporters must report qualifying physical therapist negligence claims to the board. A qualifying claim is a court-filed written demand for payment over an injury allegedly caused by professional negligence. Reports are due within 30 days of notice, with outcomes reported within 30 days after disposition. Public posting requires a liability finding or admission, or a money judgment, award, or settlement involving payment; other reports remain available on request. The board must also share reports with specified facilities employing or granting privileges to the therapist; good-faith reporters receive legal protections.
Therapy board tracks staffing and discipline
Beginning July 1, 2027, the board must collect workforce data when it issues or renews licenses. It chooses the data needed, keeps a workforce database, and shares information with the Oregon Health Authority. The board may also join national exam, licensing, and discipline databases. It must report final disciplinary actions to a national database it recognizes.
Therapists face fingerprint checks and fees
Beginning July 1, 2027, the board may require fingerprints when people apply for or renew therapy licenses or permits. Fingerprints support state or nationwide criminal record checks. The board’s screening authority also covers people under investigation and board employees with access to legally confidential information. Beginning July 1, 2027, the board has broader authority to set and collect fees for administering and enforcing therapy laws. The law does not set fee amounts or require an increase.
Physical therapists must report contact changes
Oregon-licensed physical therapists and assistants must report name and contact changes to the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy within 30 days. Covered changes include business or home addresses, contact email addresses, and contact phone numbers. This reporting rule does not specify a fee.
Licensing options for nonaccredited therapy graduates
Graduates of nonaccredited therapy or assistant programs have a board-approved path to Oregon licensing. Their education must meet board standards and be substantially equivalent to an accredited entry-level program. The board can require credential reviews, extra education, an English test, or supervised clinical practice. Applicants educated abroad must show their program is recognized by that country’s education ministry or a similar body.
New licensing paths for physical therapists
Therapists and assistants must be at least 18, complete qualifying education, pass required exams and background checks, and pay fees. The law removes assistants’ former good-moral-character requirement. Applicants with unrestricted licenses from another state or territory can use an endorsement path when licensing standards are substantially equivalent. That path can waive graduation checks and the usual exam, but board-required exams, fees, and background checks still apply. Beginning July 1, 2027, the board may create specialty credentials, and the law repeals ORS 688.040 and 688.090.
Therapists can return with competence checks
The board can restore suspended or revoked licenses after applicants meet initial licensing rules and reinstatement or consent-order conditions. Returning after a license lapse lasting the period set by board rule also requires initial qualifications and proof of competence. The board can require supervised practice, continuing competency work, exams, or other assessments. Applicants filing the specified license application and paying a temporary-permit fee can practice under an Oregon-licensed therapist’s direction. Temporary permits last up to three months, with one board-approved renewal of up to 90 days.
Therapy applicants face stricter exam safeguards
Therapy license applicants must follow board-approved exam security and copyright rules. Cheating or attempted cheating can bring disqualification or board sanctions, including for sharing questions or using recalled questions. The board must report conduct that undermines exam integrity to the national federation of physical therapy licensing boards. Beginning July 1, 2027, the Oregon board retains authority to provide exams but loses authority to set passing scores.
Therapy discipline expands with conviction limits
The board can impose penalties up to $5,000 per violation and assess investigation costs, but conviction-based discipline requires a therapy-related public-safety risk. Beginning July 1, 2027, it must investigate specified practice violations as needed, notify subjects why, and may refer cases to prosecutors. Therapists must report reasonably suspected prohibited conduct by other health-board licensees unless privacy laws bar disclosure. Beginning July 1, 2027, the board must refer alleged licensee misconduct to the proper authority unless law bars reporting. Its reports about unlicensed people, other providers, or entities must concern physical therapy practice; allegations are not findings of guilt.
Therapy licensing exemptions expand and narrow
The law expands Oregon licensing exemptions for specified training, consultation, emergency, continuing-education, athletic, and performing-arts services. Clinical education requires on-site supervision; federal employees must act within their jobs and an authorizing federal regulation. Emergency practice, practice by emergency-displaced clinicians, seminar services, and qualifying athletic or performing-arts services have 60-day calendar-year limits. Emergency and emergency-displaced practice also require notice to the board. The law removes the exemption for domestic physical therapy activities performed without claiming to be a therapist or assistant.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Kim Wallan
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Bobby Levy
Republican • House
Ed Diehl
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 6/27/2025
House concurred in Senate amendments and repassed bill.
Yes: 39 • No: 11
Senate vote • 6/26/2025
Third reading. Carried by Reynolds. Passed.
Yes: 20 • No: 9
Senate vote • 5/20/2025
Health Care: Heard and Reported Out with Amendments
Yes: 3 • No: 2
House vote • 4/22/2025
Third reading. Carried by Wallan. Passed.
Yes: 52 • No: 2
House vote • 4/8/2025
Behavioral Health and Health Care: Heard and Reported Out with Amendments
Yes: 8 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Chapter 627, (2025 Laws): Effective date September 26, 2025.
8/13/2025HouseGovernor signed.
8/7/2025HousePresident signed.
6/30/2025SenateSpeaker signed.
6/30/2025HouseHouse concurred in Senate amendments and repassed bill.
6/27/2025HouseVote explanation(s) filed by Sollman.
6/26/2025SenateThird reading. Carried by Reynolds. Passed.
6/26/2025SenateRules suspended. Carried over to 06-26 by unanimous consent.
6/25/2025SenateSecond reading.
6/25/2025Senate(Amendments distributed.)
6/25/2025SenateRecommendation: Do pass with amendments to the A-Eng. bill. (Printed B-Eng.)
6/25/2025SenateWork Session held.
5/20/2025SenatePublic Hearing held.
5/8/2025SenatePublic Hearing held.
5/6/2025SenateReferred to Health Care.
4/23/2025SenateFirst reading. Referred to President's desk.
4/23/2025SenateThird reading. Carried by Wallan. Passed.
4/22/2025HouseRules suspended. Carried over to April 22, 2025 Calendar.
4/21/2025HouseRules suspended. Carried over to April 21, 2025 Calendar.
4/17/2025HouseRules suspended. Carried over to April 17, 2025 Calendar.
4/16/2025HouseSecond reading.
4/15/2025HouseRecommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed A-Engrossed.
4/14/2025HouseWork Session held.
4/8/2025HousePublic Hearing held.
3/18/2025HouseReferred to Behavioral Health and Health Care.
3/4/2025House
Bill Text
SHC Amendment -A2 (Adopted)
5/20/2025
SHC Amendment -A3 (Proposed)
5/20/2025
SHC Amendment -A4 (Proposed)
5/20/2025
HBHHC Amendment -1 (Adopted)
4/8/2025
A-Engrossed
B-Engrossed
Enrolled
House Amendments to Introduced
Introduced
Senate Amendments to A-Engrossed
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