HB46 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Howard Sanderford

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Occupational Therapy, Alabama State Board of, Sunset Law review, continued with modifications, board members required to be citizens of this state, applicants for licensure required to be United States citizens or legally present in the United States, Secs. 34-39-6, 34-39-8 am'd. (2011-20325)

Summary

HB46 keeps the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy but adds citizenship restrictions for board members and licensure applicants.

What This Bill Does

It continues the board under the Sunset Law and sets its makeup at five members who are Alabama citizens and appointed by the Governor from a list provided by the Alabama Occupational Therapy Association. It requires licensure applicants for occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant to be United States citizens or legally present in the United States. It also creates a dedicated fund to support the board’s activities and outlines education, fieldwork, and exam requirements for licensure.

Who It Affects

• Occupational therapists in Alabama: must be Alabama citizens to serve on the board and must meet licensure requirements (education, fieldwork, and exam).
• Occupational therapy assistants in Alabama: must be Alabama citizens to serve on the board and must meet licensure requirements (education, fieldwork, and exam).
• Licensure applicants: must be US citizens or legally present in the United States and must complete approved education, supervised fieldwork, and pass an examination.
• Alabama Occupational Therapy Association and state government: involved in nominating/appointing board members to ensure diversity and adherence to citizenship requirements.
• The general public: gains representation on the board through a public member and reinforced inclusivity in appointments.

Key Provisions

• Amendments to 34-39-6 and 34-39-8 require that board members be citizens of Alabama and that licensure applicants be United States citizens or legally present in the United States.
• The board will have five members (four OT practitioners including one assistant, plus one additional health professional or public member), all must be Alabama citizens, with appointments made by the Governor from names submitted by the Alabama Occupational Therapy Association, and with diversity considerations.
• Licensure requirements for occupational therapists and assistants include completing an accredited or board-approved educational program, supervised fieldwork (minimum 24 weeks for therapists, 8 weeks for assistants), and passing a board-approved examination.
• A separate Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy Fund is created to hold receipts and govern expenditures for the board’s operations.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Occupational Therapy, Alabama State Board of