---
title: SB 169. Professions and Businesses; certain education and training requirements for the performance of dry needling; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb169
cite_as: SB 169, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb169
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb169.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb169/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70338
date: 2025-02-18
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb169.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 169
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-13
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Shawn Still
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB169/2025
upstream_id: 1970351
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- dry needling
- physical therapy licensing
- acupuncture regulation
- medical licensing
- healthcare training requirements
---
# SB 169. Professions and Businesses; certain education and training requirements for the performance of dry needling; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 169
By: Senator Still of the 48th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to professions and
businesses, so as to provide for certain education and training requirements for the
performance of dry needling; to provide for applicability and exceptions; to require licensed
physical therapists who perform dry needling to complete certain education and training
requirements; to revise definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective
date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to professions and businesses,
is amended in Chapter 1, relating to general provisions, by adding a new Code section to read
as follows:
"43-1-37.
(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section, after
January 1, 2026, no licensed healthcare professional authorized to perform dry needling in
this state shall perform dry needling unless such professional demonstrates to the
satisfaction of the Georgia Composite Medical Board the successful completion of the
following:
(1) Coursework and training in the practice of dry needling totaling 1,365 hours, which
shall include:
(A) Instruction in medical theory, diagnosis, and treatment techniques specific to
acupuncture totaling 705 hours; and
(B) Clinical training in dry needling, including clinical observation and clinical
internship, totaling 660 hours;
(2) A nationally recognized clean needle technique course approved by the Georgia
Composite Medical Board; and
(3) A minimum of 500 dry needling treatments on at least 100 different patients during
a 12 month period under the direct supervision of a licensed healthcare professional who
has a minimum of four years of licensed clinical practice performing dry needling.
(b) The requirements provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply to:
(1) A licensed acupuncturist or a licensed physician who has successfully completed
requirements to perform dry needling as established by the Georgia Composite Medical
Board; or
(2) A licensed physical therapist who, prior to January 1, 2026, successfully completed
requirements to perform dry needling as established by the State Board of Physical
Therapy.
(c) The prohibition in subsection (a) of this Code section shall not prevent either of the
following:
(1) A student from performing dry needling while enrolled in an acupuncture education
program and under the direct clinical supervision of a licensed acupuncturist; or
(2) An individual from performing dry needling while completing requirements provided
in subsection (a) of this Code section."
SECTION 2.
Said title is further amended in Code Section 43-33-18, relating to refusal to grant or restore
licenses, discipline of licensees, suspension, revocation, or restriction of licenses, and
immunity for violation reporters, by revising subparagraph (a)(2)(E) as follows:
"(E) Performed dry needling treatment interventions without consulting an individual
licensed pursuant to Article 2 or 4 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 this title and without
complying with requirements provided for under Code Section 43-1-37."
SECTION 3.
Said title is further amended in Code Section 43-34-62, relating to definitions relevant to
acupuncture, by revising paragraphs (1) and (4) as follows:
"(1) 'Acupuncture' means a modality practiced on the basis of traditional Chinese medical
principles and modern biomedical principles to stimulate underlying neural, muscular,
and connective tissues for preventive and therapeutic purposes a form of therapy
developed from traditional and modern Oriental concepts for health care that employs
Oriental medical techniques, treatment, and adjunctive therapies for the promotion,
maintenance, and restoration of health and the prevention of disease."
"(4) 'Practice of acupuncture' means the insertion of disposable acupuncture filiform
needles into the human body at either acupuncture points which have been clearly
mapped out over underlying bony landmarks and musculature or trigger points and the
application of moxibustion to specific areas of the human body based upon Oriental
medical principles as a therapeutic modality. Dry needling is a technique of the practice
of acupuncture. Adjunctive therapies within the scope of acupuncture may include
manual, mechanical, moxibustion, herbal, thermal, electrical, and electromagnetic
treatment and the recommendation of dietary guidelines and exercise, but only if such
treatments, recommendations, and exercises are based on concepts of traditional Oriental
Chinese medicine and are directly related to acupuncture therapy."
SECTION 4.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would require healthcare professionals who perform dry needling, including physical therapists, to complete specific training and supervised practice hours starting January 1, 2026, with exceptions for acupuncturists and physicians already approved.
### Plain-language summary
Dry needling is a treatment where thin needles are inserted into the body to relieve muscle pain, and it is currently performed by several types of licensed healthcare professionals in Georgia, including physical therapists, acupuncturists, and physicians. This bill would add a new section to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 43-1-37) requiring that, after January 1, 2026, anyone performing dry needling must complete 1,365 hours of coursework and clinical training, a clean needle technique course approved by the Georgia Composite Medical Board, and at least 500 supervised dry needling treatments on 100 different patients within a year.
Licensed acupuncturists and physicians who already meet Medical Board requirements, and physical therapists who completed dry needling training before January 1, 2026 under State Board of Physical Therapy rules, would be exempt. Students in acupuncture programs and people still completing the new training could still practice under supervision. The bill also updates the definitions of acupuncture and dry needling in Georgia's acupuncture licensing law (O.C.G.A. § 43-34-62) and revises disciplinary rules for physical therapists (O.C.G.A. § 43-33-18) to reference the new training requirement. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
### What it does
- Creates a new Georgia Code section (43-1-37) requiring licensed healthcare professionals to complete 1,365 hours of training before performing dry needling after January 1, 2026.
- Requires a clean needle technique course approved by the Georgia Composite Medical Board and 500 supervised treatments on 100 patients within 12 months.
- Exempts licensed acupuncturists, licensed physicians already approved by the Medical Board, and physical therapists who completed dry needling training before January 1, 2026.
- Allows acupuncture students and people still completing the new training requirements to perform dry needling under direct supervision.
- Updates physical therapy disciplinary law (O.C.G.A. § 43-33-18) so failing to follow the new dry needling training rules can trigger licensing discipline.
- Rewrites the legal definitions of 'acupuncture' and 'practice of acupuncture' in O.C.G.A. § 43-34-62, including describing dry needling as a technique within the practice of acupuncture.
### Who it affects
Licensed physical therapists, acupuncturists, and physicians in Georgia who perform or want to perform dry needling; the Georgia Composite Medical Board and the State Board of Physical Therapy, which oversee training approval and licensing discipline; and patients who receive dry needling treatments.
### Why it matters
Physical therapists and other providers who currently perform dry needling without this level of training would need to complete new coursework, supervised treatments, and a clean needle technique course to keep doing so after January 1, 2026, which could limit who can offer the treatment and how quickly new providers can start.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds Code Section 43-1-37, setting the training requirements (1,365 hours, clean needle course, 500 supervised treatments) for dry needling after January 1, 2026.
- Section 1 exempts already-approved acupuncturists, physicians, and physical therapists trained before the deadline, and allows students and trainees to practice under supervision.
- Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 43-33-18 to make failure to comply with the new Code Section 43-1-37 training requirements grounds for licensing discipline of physical therapists.
- Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 43-34-62 to redefine 'acupuncture' around neural, muscular, and connective tissue stimulation rather than 'Oriental medical techniques,' and to define 'practice of acupuncture' as inserting filiform needles at acupuncture or trigger points.
- Section 3 explicitly states that dry needling is a technique within the practice of acupuncture and adds moxibustion back into the list of adjunctive therapies.
- Section 4 states the Act takes effect immediately upon the Governor's signature or becoming law without signature.
- Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-13)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-02-18)
- Sponsors: Shawn Still
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70338
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb169.md?full=1