Oregon
As we reported previously, on April 22, 2025, the Oregon House of Representatives approved Bill 3824. Next, the bill moved to the Oregon Senate for consideration. The bill was amended, but the Senate has not yet voted on the bill. Once the Senate approves the bill, it will need to be returned to the House due to the amendments. Once the House approves the bill in its amended form, it is set to take effect 91 days after the legislative session concludes, assuming the Governor signs the bill into law.
Georgia
You may recall that during the last legislative session in Georgia, several acupuncture organizations pushed new legislation that would have increased the dry needling training and supervision requirements for physical therapists by more than 3,000 hours. The bill was referred to next year’s legislative session with meetings by a Special Committee representing all stakeholders to find common ground.
On May 20, 2025, the Dry Needling Committee held its first meeting, centered on the topic of “Studying Dry Needling Expanding in Medical Practices.”
Myopain Seminars dry needling instructor Mandy Blackmon and Ben Braxley, President of the Georgia APTA, represented the APTA membership together with APTA lobbyist Lauren Pollow. Other stakeholders included
- occupational therapists, certified hand therapists, and their lobbyist representing the Georgia Occupational Therapy Association
- representatives from the Georgia Composite Medical Board including a Medical Acupuncturist
- several members from three Georgia Associations and Alliances of Acupuncturists.
Following the meeting, Ben Braxley reported that “though tensions arose at times, our APTA Georgia delegation stood proudly and assertively by our profession’s outstanding safety record demonstrated throughout the 21 years that Physical Therapists have utilized this technique when treating patients and clients in Georgia.”
Not surprisingly, “no easy common ground was established in this first of three potential meetings,” says Braxley. We will keep you updated on any further developments.
