(a) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy shall license as a physical therapist assistant and shall issue a license to a person who:
(1) Satisfactorily passes the examinations provided for in this chapter and otherwise meets the requirements for qualification under this chapter and pays the fees as determined by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy; or
(2) Was licensed under the rules of the Arkansas State Medical Board as a physical therapist assistant before March 28, 1979.
(b) Each physical therapist assistant applicant shall:
(1) Be at least eighteen (18) years of age;
(2) Have graduated from a school of physical therapy accredited by a national accreditation agency approved by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy;
(3) Have passed examinations selected and approved by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy;
(4) Submit fees as determined by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy; and
(5)
(A) Apply to the Identification Bureau of the Division of Arkansas State Police for a state and national criminal background check to be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(B) The criminal background check shall conform to the applicable federal standards, as existing on January 1, 2019, and shall include the taking of fingerprints.
(C) The applicant shall sign a release of information to the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy and be responsible to the Division of Arkansas State Police for the payment of any fee associated with the criminal background check.
(D) Upon completion of the criminal background check, the Identification Bureau of the Division of Arkansas State Police shall forward to the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy all information obtained concerning the commission by the applicant of any offense listed.
(c)
(1)
(A) Upon payment of all appropriate fees, applicants who do not pass the examination after the first attempt may retake the examination one (1) additional time without reapplication for licensure.
(B) The reexamination must take place within six (6) months after the first failure.
(2) Before being approved by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy for subsequent testing beyond two (2) attempts, the applicant shall reapply and demonstrate evidence satisfactory to the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy of having successfully completed additional clinical training or course work, or both, as determined by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy.
(d)
(1) A physical therapist assistant who is licensed under this chapter shall pay a license fee and annual renewal fee in an amount to be determined by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy.
(2) The renewal fee shall be paid no later than March 1 of each year.
(3)
(A) A failure to renew and pay the renewal fee by March 1 shall cause the license to expire automatically.
(B) A licensee whose license has expired for failure to meet the renewal date may be reinstated by paying all delinquent fees and a penalty in an amount to be determined by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy for each year or part of a year that he or she has failed to renew.