SB 411: Professions and Businesses; dry needling to be performed by certain licensed professionals; provide - Georgia

LC 46 1557S/hss → LC 46 1567S/hrcs · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to shift its focus from regulating dry needling for physical therapists to establishing a certification program for community health workers. This change alters the bill's purpose from regulating specific medical techniques to creating a workforce development framework for public health support staff.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from regulating specific medical procedures (dry needling) performed by licensed therapists to establishing a new certification committee and defining the roles of community health workers.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to dry needling, including definitions, training requirements for occupational therapists, and advertising restrictions for healthcare practitioners.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'certified community health worker', 'community health worker', 'core competencies', and the 'Georgia Community Health Worker Certification Committee'.

REQUIREMENT

Established a new committee with 11 voting members appointed by the commissioner of public health to set standards and approve training programs for community health workers.

ELIGIBILITY

Revised the definition of 'rural hospital organization' to include stricter financial performance metrics, such as a patient margin less than one standard deviation above the state average.

As Passed Senate → LC 46 1557S/hss · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to add physicians as a qualified provider for dry needling, alongside acupuncturists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. Additionally, the amendment includes new provisions allowing the Georgia Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Board to retain certain incidental funds generated by specific fees.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include physicians as eligible practitioners for performing dry needling, whereas the original version only listed acupuncturists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.

ELIGIBILITY

Physicians are now explicitly authorized to perform dry needling if they meet the required education and training standards.

FISCAL

New language was inserted to authorize the Georgia Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Board to keep certain incidental funds from fees.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reorganized to include the new funding provision and updated the section summary to reflect the addition of physicians.

As introduced LC 52 0937 → As Passed Senate · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered and reorganized to clarify its structure. A critical substantive change was added to the enforcement section, explicitly stating that while a violation does not create a private lawsuit, it does not stop other legal remedies. The bill also updated the definition of 'physical agent modalities' to explicitly include dry needling and revised acupuncture licensure rules to allow supervisors from other states with equivalent requirements to oversee new practitioners.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding acupuncture supervision was expanded to include out-of-state supervisors with equivalent licensing, and the definition of occupational therapy techniques was broadened to include dry needling.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a provision clarifying that a violation of the code does not create a private right of action but does not limit other available legal remedies.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'physical agent modalities' to explicitly include dry needling as a therapeutic technique.

REQUIREMENT

Revised acupuncture licensure requirements to allow supervision by acupuncturists licensed in other states or countries, provided their licensing requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's.

TECHNICAL

The bill was renumbered from LC 52 0937 to LC 52 0991S and sections were reorganized for clarity.

Professions and Businesses; dry needling to be performed by certain licensed professionals; provide

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors