A. The Louisiana Physical Therapy Board, hereinafter referred to as the “board”, is hereby created within the Louisiana Department of Health. The board shall be domiciled in Lafayette Parish.

            B. The board shall consist of eight members who shall be appointed by the governor as follows:

            (1) Two members shall be physical therapists who possess an unrestricted license to practice physical therapy and who have been practicing in the state for no less than three years.

            (2) One member shall be a physical therapist who possesses an unrestricted license to practice physical therapy and has been practicing in the state for no less than three years and shall be appointed from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana Hospital Association.

            (3) Two members shall be physical therapists who possess an unrestricted license to practice physical therapy and have been practicing in the state for no less than three years and shall be appointed from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana Physical Therapy Association.

            (4) One member shall be a physical therapist assistant who possesses an unrestricted license to assist in the practice of physical therapy as a physical therapist assistant and who has been practicing in the state for no less than three years.

            (5) One member shall be a physician who possesses an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the state and who specializes in the practice of orthopedic surgery or the practice of physiatry and shall be appointed from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana State Medical Society.

            (6) One member shall be a consumer selected from the state at large. The consumer member may also apply directly to the office of the governor.

            C. The term of each board member shall be three years; however, initial board appointments may be for less than three years in order to establish staggered terms. Each appointment by the governor shall be submitted to the Senate for confirmation.

            D. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

            E. The governor may remove any member of the board for misconduct, incompetence, or neglect of duty.

            F. No person shall be appointed to the board if they have served for more than two consecutive three-year terms.

            G.(1) The consumer member shall be selected from the state at large and possess all of the following qualifications:

            (a) Is a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of Louisiana for at least one year immediately prior to appointment.

            (b) Has attained the age of majority.

            (c) Has never been licensed by any of the licensing boards identified in La. Rev. Stat. 36:259(A), nor shall he have a spouse who has ever been licensed by a board identified in La. Rev. Stat. 36:259(A).

            (d) Has never been convicted of a felony.

            (e) Does not have and has never had a material financial interest in the healthcare profession.

            (2) The consumer member shall be a full voting member of the board with all rights and privileges conferred on board members, except that the consumer member shall not participate in the grading of individual examinations.

            H. The governor shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender, ethnic, and geographical diversity.

            Added by Acts 1966, No. 68, §1. Amended by Acts 1972, No. 674, §1; Acts 1983, No. 555, §1; Acts 1987, No. 208, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1988; Acts 1992, No. 731, §1; Acts 1995, No. 885, §1; Acts 1995, No. 952, §1; Acts 2009, No. 535, §4, eff. Jan. 1, 2010; Acts 2018, No. 515, §2.

NOTE: See Acts 1987, No. 208, §3.