(a) An applicant who is applying for licensure under this chapter shall submit evidence, verified by oath and satisfactory to the Board, that such person:
(1) Has graduated from a school offering a program in physical therapy, physical therapy assistant or athletic training, which program as offered by such school has been approved for the educational preparation of physical therapists, physical therapist assistants or athletic trainers by the appropriate accrediting agency recognized by the Council on Post Secondary Accreditation or the United States Commission of Education, or any successor, at the time of graduation; provided however, that those applicants for licensure as athletic trainers who apply or who have applied for and been granted a license prior to July 1, 2004, may be licensed if they have been granted a degree from a college or university, successfully completed the internship process through the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATA BOC) and have been approved by NATA BOC to take the national examination; and
(2) Has passed, to the satisfaction of the Board, a national examination designated by the Board, to determine the applicant's fitness to practice physical therapy, to act as a physical therapist assistant or to act as an athletic trainer as herein provided; and
(3) Meets additional educational requirements set forth in the Board's rules and regulations; and
(4) Shall not have been the recipient of any administrative penalties from any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions regarding the applicant's practice of physical therapy or athletic training, including but not limited to fines, formal reprimands, license suspensions or revocation (except for license revocations for nonpayment of license renewal fees), probationary limitations, and/or has not entered into any “consent agreements” which contain conditions placed by a board on the applicant's professional conduct and practice, including any voluntary surrender of a license in lieu of discipline. The Board may determine, after a hearing, whether such administrative penalty is grounds to deny licensure; and
(5) Shall not have any impairment related to drugs, alcohol or a finding of mental incompetence by a physician that would limit the applicant's ability to undertake the practice of physical therapy or athletic training in a manner consistent with the safety of a patient or the public; and
(6) Shall not have a criminal conviction record, nor pending criminal charge relating to an offense, the circumstances of which substantially relate to the practice of physical therapy or athletic training. Applicants who have criminal conviction records or pending criminal charges shall require appropriate authorities to provide information about the record or charge directly to the Board in sufficient specificity to enable the Board to make a determination whether the record or charge is substantially related to the practice of physical therapy or athletic training. However, after a hearing or review of documentation demonstrating that the applicant meets the specified criteria for a waiver, the Board, by an affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum, may waive this paragraph (a)(6), if it finds all of the following:
a. For waiver of a felony conviction, more than 5 years have elapsed since the date of the conviction. At the time of the application the applicant may not be incarcerated, on work release, on probation, on parole or serving any part of a suspended sentence and must be in substantial compliance with all court orders pertaining to fines, restitution and community service.
b. For waiver of a misdemeanor conviction or violation, at the time of the application the applicant may not be incarcerated, on work release, on probation, on parole or serving any part of a suspended sentence and must be in substantial compliance with all court orders pertaining to fines, restitution and community service.
c. The applicant is capable of practicing physical therapy and athletic training in a competent and professional manner.
d. The granting of the waiver will not endanger the public health, safety or welfare.
(7) Shall not have been convicted of a felony sexual offense; and
(8) Submit, at the applicant's expense, fingerprints and other necessary information in order to obtain the following:
a. A report of the applicant's entire criminal history record from the State Bureau of Identification or a statement from the State Bureau of Identification that the State Central Repository contains no such information relating to that person.
b. A report of the applicant's entire federal criminal history record pursuant to the Federal Bureau of Investigation appropriation of Title II of Public Law 92-544 (28 U.S.C. § 534). The State Bureau of Identification shall be the intermediary for purposes of this section and the Board of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers shall be the screening point for the receipt of said federal criminal history records.
c. An applicant may not be certified to physical therapy or athletic training until the applicant's criminal history reports have been produced. An applicant whose record shows a prior criminal conviction may not be certified by the Board unless a waiver is granted pursuant to paragraph (a)(6) of this section;
(9) Shall have no disciplinary proceedings or unresolved complaints pending against that person in any jurisdiction where the applicant previously has been or currently is licensed to practice physical therapy or athletic training; and
(10) Has not been convicted of a felony sexual offense; and
(11) Has submitted, at the applicant's expense, fingerprints and other necessary information in order to obtain the following:
a. A report of the applicant's entire criminal history record from the State Bureau of Identification or a statement from the State Bureau of Identification that the State Central Repository contains no such information relating to the person.
b. A report of the applicant's entire federal criminal history record pursuant to the Federal Bureau of Investigation appropriation of Title II of Public Law 92-544 (28 U.S.C. § 534). The State Bureau of Identification shall be the intermediary for purposes of this section and the Board shall be the screening point for the receipt of said federal criminal history records.
(b) A physical therapist applicant whose application is based on a diploma issued by a foreign physical therapy school shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the Board of the completion of a physical therapy school or schools ' resident course of professional instruction equivalent to that required in subsection (a) of this section, in addition to meeting all other requirements of this section and § 2608 of this title.
(c) Where the Board has found to its satisfaction that an applicant has been intentionally fraudulent, or that false information has been intentionally supplied, it shall report its findings to the Attorney General for further action.
(d) Where the application of a person has been refused or rejected and such applicant feels that the Board has acted without justification; has imposed higher or different standards for the person than for other applicants or licensees; or has in some other manner contributed to or caused the failure of such application, the applicant may appeal to the Superior Court.
(e) All individuals licensed to practice physical therapy or athletic training in this State shall be required to be fingerprinted by the State Bureau of Identification, at the licensee's expense, for the purposes of performing subsequent criminal background checks. Licensees shall submit by January 1, 2016, at the applicant's expense, fingerprints and other necessary information in order to obtain a criminal background check.
(f) An applicant may not be licensed until the applicant's criminal history reports have been produced. An applicant whose record shows a prior criminal conviction may not be licensed by the Board unless a waiver is granted pursuant to paragraph (a)(6) of this section.