The State of Washington and the Board of Physical Therapy take transparency in
communications very seriously. The Washington State Board of Physical Therapy operates
in compliance with RCW 42.30, the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), which requires that
all meetings be open to the public. Additionally, the OPMA prohibits voting by secret ballot.
The Board of Physical Therapy and all governing bodies of Washington state public
agencies are subject to the Open Public Meetings Act. New board or commission members
and the state employees who support them must undergo OPMA training within 90 days of
assuming their duties.
Under the OPMA, a meeting occurs anytime action is taken when a quorum gathers. This
typically occurs in a formal designated board room setting on a set schedule. However, as
happened during the state shutdown of in-person meetings during the COVID-19
pandemic, board meetings may also occur:
For a meeting to be considered public, an agenda and meeting notice must be made
available to the public at least 24 hours in advance of that meeting. Minutes must be taken
of the meeting to be made available to anyone who is not able to attend.
Although the OPMA might seem reasonable, if not obvious, it comes with some important
implications. For instance, whenever a majority of Board members (four or more of the
seven members) gather, even if for a carpool, social event, or shared meal, board business
- even casually discussed on any level - is considered in violation of the OPMA.
The main exception to this law is when the Board goes into executive or closed sessions.
This most often occurs during discipline calls. During these calls, the Board discusses all
new complaints brought to the Board regarding potential violations by licensees.
Executive or closed session meetings are restricted to:
Information from closed or executive sessions is not to be shared with the public since the
validity of the complaint or violation has not yet been established. Minutes are not required
to be taken during closed or executive sessions.
The Board prioritizes protection of the public and the stakeholders of the profession. The
Board encourages involvement of licensees and the public in shaping the future of physical
therapy practice in Washington State. To do so, everyone needs full and free access to
board business and processes.