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ACT No. 9332026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1182
BY REPRESENTATIVE EGAN
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:3006(introductory paragraph) and (2), 3007, 3008, 3009(B)
3 and (D), 3012(B)(3), and 3013(A), relative to occupational therapists and
4 occupational therapy assistants; to provide for the requirements for licensure; to
5 provide for the examination for licensure; to provide for waiver requirements for
6 licensure; to provide for the issuance of licenses; to provide for the renewal of
7 licenses; to provide for licensure fees; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 37:3006(introductory paragraph) and (2), 3007, 3008, 3009(B) and
10 (D), 3012(B)(3), and 3013(A) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
11 §3006. Requirements for licensure
12 An applicant applying for a license as an occupational therapist or as an
13 occupational therapy assistant shall file a written application on forms provided by
14 the board, showing to the satisfaction of the board that he the applicant:
15 * * *
16 (2) Has successfully completed the academic and supervised field work
17 experience requirements to sit for the "Certification Examination for Occupational
18 Therapist, Registered or the Certification Examination for occupational therapy
19 assistant" and is approved by the board and pass the National Board for Certification
20 in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification examination.
21 §3007. Examination for licensure
22 A. The board shall use the examination administered by an independent
23 agency under contract with the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
24 (AOTA), National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to
25 administer the examinations for licensure under this Chapter.
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1 B. Any person applying for licensure shall, in addition to demonstrating his
2 eligibility in accordance with the requirements of R.S. 37:3006, make application to
3 the board for review of proof of his current certification by the American
4 Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA), National Board for Certification
5 in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) on a form and in such a manner as the board
6 shall prescribe. The application shall be accompanied by the fee fixed in accordance
7 with the provisions of R.S. 37:3013. The board shall determine the criteria for
8 satisfactory performance on the examination, using the American Occupational
9 Therapy Association, Inc., National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
10 (NBCOT) criteria as a minimum score. A person who fails an examination may
11 reapply.
12 C. Applicants for licensure shall be examined at a time and place established
13 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) National Board
14 for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Examinations shall be given
15 at least twice each year within the state.
16 §3008. Waiver of requirements for licensure
17 A. The board shall waive the examination and grant a license to any person
18 certified prior to the effective date of this Chapter as an Occupational Therapist,
19 Registered (OTR) or a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) by the
20 American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA), National Board for
21 Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and who otherwise meets the
22 criteria of provisions of R.S. 37:3006 and who is domiciled in the state on the date
23 this Chapter becomes effective. In order to obtain the benefit of this waiver, an
24 applicant shall make an application for a license no later than six months after the
25 effective date of this Chapter.
26 B. The board may waive the examination and grant a license to any applicant
27 who presents proof of current licensure as an occupational therapist or occupational
28 therapy assistant in another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the
29 United States which requires standards for licensure considered by the board to be
30 equivalent to the requirements for licensure of this Chapter, provided that such state,
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1 district or territory accords similar privileges of licensure without examination to
2 holders of a license under this Chapter.
3 C. The board shall waive the educational and examination requirements and
4 grant a license to any person who gives proof of current employment, either on a
5 probational or a permanent basis, in the classified state service, and who is classified
6 therein as an Occupational Therapy Aide I, Occupational Therapy Aide II,
7 Occupational Therapist I, Occupational Therapist II, or Occupational Therapist III;
8 on the date this Chapter becomes effective.
9 An Occupational Therapy Aide I, Occupational Therapy Aide II, or
10 Occupational Therapist I shall be licensed as an occupational therapy assistant. An
11 Occupational Therapist II or an Occupational Therapist III shall be licensed as an
12 occupational therapist. These licensing designations will in no way restrict the
13 authority of the Louisiana State Department of Civil Service to establish guidelines
14 and qualifications for those employees within the classified service or in no way
15 restrict the power of the Civil Service Department to establish promotional ladders
16 for such employees. In order to obtain the benefit of this waiver, an applicant shall
17 make application for a license no later than six (6) months after the effective date of
18 this Chapter.
19 D. The board shall waive the examination and grant a license to any person
20 who is domiciled in the state on the date this Chapter becomes effective, and who is
21 a graduate of a curriculum of a member nation of the World Federation of
22 Occupational Therapists (WFOT). In order to obtain the benefit of this waiver, an
23 applicant shall make application for a license no later than six (6) months after the
24 effective date of this Chapter.
25 §3009. Issuance of license
26 * * *
27 B. Any person who is issued a license as an occupational therapist under the
28 terms of this Chapter may use the words "occupational therapist", "licensed
29 occupational therapist", or he may use the letters "LOT", "OT" in connection with
30 his name or place of business to denote his licensure. In addition, any person
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1 certified or registered by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.,
2 National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) may use the
3 words "licensed occupational therapist, registered" or "occupational therapist,
4 registered" or "LOTR" or "OTR".
5 * * *
6 D. The board shall may establish policies which allow for a challenge of
7 denial of license. This challenge shall be heard in an open hearing in accordance
8 with due process.
9 * * *
10 §3012. Renewal of license
11 * * *
12 B.
13 * * *
14 (3) The continuing education requirements shall do not apply to individuals
15 working as occupational therapists in state facilities or employed by a state agency.
16 * * *
17 §3013. Fees
18 A. The board shall fix fees in a manner established by its rules. Initial fees
19 shall not exceed the following amounts:
(1) Application fee Initial OT license application fee. . . $50 $15020
(2) Issuance of Initial OTA license application fee. . . . . $25 $10021
(3) Temporary license fee OT/OTA.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25 $5022
(4) Renewal of OT license fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25 $10023
(5) Reinstatement Renewal of OTA license fee.. . . . . . . $25 $7524
(6) Late renewal Reinstatement of OT license fee.. . . . . $35 $10025
(7) Reciprocity Reinstatement of OTA license fee. . . . . $75 $10026
(8) Late renewal fee OT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10027
(9) Late renewal fee OTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7528
(10) Reciprocity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7529
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1 Fees for occupational therapy assistants licensure shall be no more than
2 two-thirds of those for occupational therapist licensure.
3 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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