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Physical Therapy Board adopts calendar change, reviews staffing, budget and rulemaking plans
Summary
At its March 18 meeting in Stockton, the Physical Therapy Board of California approved corrected December minutes, amended the 2025 meeting calendar (setting June 25–26 as the June dates), and received updates on staffing, budget constraints, enforcement caseloads, telework policy, board vacancies, rulemaking and outreach.
The Physical Therapy Board of California met March 18, 2025, in Stockton for the first day of a two‑day meeting and took several administrative and policy updates. The board approved a single correction to the December 6, 2024 meeting minutes and moved to amend the 2025 meeting calendar to set the June meeting for June 25–26, 2025. Both actions were approved by roll call with four ayes and two absences.
Executive Officer Jason Kaiser briefed the board on staffing and fiscal context. He said the Department of Finance had issued budget letters anticipating a multiyear general fund deficit and that the board should plan for an approximate 8% reduction in its overall budget and had undergone a statewide vacancy sweep. Kaiser announced one staff promotion and a new hire in administrative services, and he said an analyst vacancy in continuing competency is expected to be filled in the coming weeks.
Kaiser reported rising enforcement costs and case complexity. The board has seen approximately an 8% increase in total complaints and a 53% increase in cases sent to the attorney general for filing; accumulated billing through the first half of the fiscal year was about 60% of the enforcement allocation. Staff are preparing a one‑time augmentation request to cover higher AG and investigative costs; if denied, the board will need to reallocate funds internally.
Kaiser also described a state executive order (N‑22‑25) directing agencies that offer telework to adopt hybrid telework policies with a default minimum of four in‑person workdays per week effective July 1, 2025. CalHR guidance permits consideration of additional telework on a case‑by‑case basis. The board’s office reported adequate office space to implement hybrid schedules.
Board composition and appointments were discussed. Kaiser noted one current board vacancy and that the governor’s appointments office is aware of the board’s need; the board discussed outreach to encourage qualified applicants to submit gubernatorial appointment materials.
On applications and licensing operations, staff reported a marked increase in PTA applications (about 24% year‑to‑date), attributed to growth in California PTA programs. Staff noted double‑digit increases in multiple CAPTE‑accredited application streams.
Brooke (DCA regulatory staff) and board staff reported progress on rulemaking for continuing competency regulations. Two rulemaking packages are planned: one to amend existing continuing competency rules and a second to address approval agency fees. Staff said proposed regulatory language will be presented for board consideration at the June meeting.
April Beauchamp presented outreach and communications activity. The board reported increased engagement on several social platforms and continued outreach to PT and PTA programs, high school career fairs and community events. The board will attend the CalHOSA career fair in Sacramento and is expanding high school outreach to encourage awareness of PT careers.
Executive Services provided an early legislative preview. Staff are tracking bills of interest in the 2025–26 legislative session, including proposals on AI and deceptive terms in healthcare professions' advertising (AB 489), interpreter access for licensure exams (AB 667), priority licensure for descendants of American slavery (AB 742), potential authorization for an animal physical therapy certification (AB 1458), and an effort to make teleconference emergency provisions permanent under Bagley‑Keene (SB 470). Staff noted these are early spot bills and will return with analyses in June.
The board discussed the September 2025 meeting plan to hold an expert consultant training the day before a scheduled two‑day meeting in Southern California and noted uncertainty about travel restrictions that could affect logistics. Staff recommended adding potential October and November dates to prepare for next year’s sunset review, including the option of forming an advisory committee to work remotely on parts of the sunset report.
The board concluded the day by inviting public comment on items not on the agenda before adjourning to closed session. The board will resume on March 19 to continue its agenda.
