LSBME occupational therapy advisory committee reviews rule changes, temporary-permit limits and interstate compact security; approves CEUs in executive session

The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners occupational therapy advisory committee on May 9 reviewed final legal clearance for revised practice rules, discussed limits on temporary permits for recent graduates pending legislative action, and heard that concerns about data security in the interstate licensure compact prompted a systems review. In an executive session the committee approved continuing education credits submitted by an applicant seeking license reinstatement.

The committee was told the Office of the Attorney General completed its review of the proposed regulatory revisions and found no antitrust concerns, clearing the rules to be published in the register and move toward final promulgation. "They really looked at every single point, and they approved that there is no, like, antitrust issue," said Lauren (staff), who reported the AG review and said the rules will be published online and the agency will circulate a link once posted.

Why it matters: the package includes new requirements that occupational therapists complete an annual ethics course approved by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) or the Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association (LOTA). The committee discussed how LOTA plans to develop its own ethics offering and asked that LOTA request public-records data on disciplinary actions to inform course content.

Temporary permits and licensing timing

Committee members discussed a pending change to the temporary-permit wording that would narrow repeatability and duration of temporary permits for new graduates. The committee was advised that, under the pending rule language, a temporary permit would last for a single three-month period and could not be renewed. "You are interpreting that correctly," said Vincent Collada, executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, when members sought clarification about the intended effect for graduates who delay testing.

Staff and members said the change was intended to limit temporary permits to urgent or exceptional circumstances rather than as a routine substitute for timely exam completion. Members noted that graduates who delay testing for preparation might need to plan to take the exam earlier rather than rely on a temporary permit. The committee emphasized that the change remains contingent on the outcome of the legislative session and that temporary permits can still be applied for under current law until any statutory change is finalized.

Interstate compact and data-security review

Committee members received an update on the interstate licensure compact. Committee members and other state representatives raised concerns about continuous automatic data transmission and potential security risks; as a result, the compact rules committee is reevaluating the contractor’s system design and moving toward a model in which member boards respond to data requests rather than automatically pushing full datasets. "They are in a process of reevaluating the current contractor," Collada said, adding that states had urged a change away from the original automatic-transfer design because of security concerns.

Appointments and membership recruitment

The advisory committee is preparing for turnover: three members’ terms will end in 2025, and the committee has issued a call for applicants. As of the May 9 meeting, Jacinta (staff) reported only one application had been received, from Savannah Alfred. Committee members agreed to resend and update the recruitment email with a deadline to encourage additional applicants before the committee’s July meeting.

Tracking recurring questions and interpretive guidance

Members endorsed creating a shared document to record recurring questions from practitioners and the committee’s responses, with the aim of improving consistency in interpretations and easing onboarding for new OTEC members. Collada proposed establishing a shared OneNote notebook that committee members and agency staff can access; the committee agreed to add questions and responses after they are discussed at meetings and to use the form shared by a member as the template.

Executive session and CEU approval

The committee entered executive session to consider one license matter. On returning to public session, members approved the continuing education units submitted by an applicant for reinstatement of license number 46026. Marygreen Keys moved to approve the CEUs as presented; Raylena Crooks seconded, and the committee voted in favor. "The decision is that the CEUs that were provided by the applicant will be accepted for reinstatement of their license," the presiding member announced.

Next meeting and procedural notes

The committee plans to publish the updated rules in the register and circulate the link when available. Members set a follow-up meeting for Friday, July 25 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom and asked staff to resend the call for members with a deadline for applications.

Sources and attributions: statements and decisions in this article are drawn from the May 9, 2025 meeting of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners occupational therapy advisory committee and are attributed to the speakers who made or responded to those statements during the recorded meeting.