(A) There is created the State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners to license physical therapists and physical therapist assistants under the administration of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The purpose of this board is to protect the public through regulation of professionals who identify, assess, and provide treatment for individuals with physical disabilities through the administration and enforcement of this chapter and any regulations promulgated under the chapter.

(B) The board consists of eleven members appointed by the Governor, seven of whom must be licensed physical therapists, with one from each congressional district, two of whom must be physical therapist assistants, and two from the general public. The South Carolina Physical Therapy Association, Inc. shall submit recommendations to the Governor of at least two names for each physical therapist and physical therapist assistant member. The Governor also shall consider nominations from any other individual, group, or association. The physical therapist and the physical therapist assistant member each must have had at least three years' experience before being appointed and while serving on the board be actively practicing in this State. Members shall serve terms of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term.

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 360, Section 1; 2012 Act No. 222, Section 7, eff June 7, 2012.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws:1962 Code Section 56-1337; 1952 (47) 1967; 1971 (57) 405; 1982 Act No. 413, Section 4; 1993 Act No. 85, Section 2; 1976 Code Section 40-45-30.

2012 Act No. 222, Section 15, provides as follows:

"SECTION 15. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any person elected or appointed to serve, or serving, as a member of any board, commission, or committee to represent a congressional district, whose residency is transferred to another district by a change in the composition of the district, may serve, or continue to serve, the term of office for which he was elected or appointed; however, the appointing or electing authority shall appoint or elect an additional member on that board, commission, or committee from the district which loses a resident member on it as a result of the transfer to serve until the term of the transferred member expires. When a vacancy occurs in the district to which a member has been transferred, the vacancy must not be filled until the full term of the transferred member expires."

Effect of Amendment

The 2012 amendment added the subsection identifiers; and substituted "eleven" for "nine", "seven" for "six", and "two" for "one" in subsection (B).