HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1331

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                         Health Care

Title:  An act relating to the use of examinations in the credentialing of health professionals.

Brief Description:  Changing certain health professional examination procedures.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dyer, Dellwo, Skinner and Backlund; by request of Department of Health.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Health Care:  2/7/95, 2/16/95 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives Dyer, Chairman; Backlund, Vice Chairman; Hymes, Vice Chairman; Dellwo, Ranking Minority Member; Cody, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Casada; Conway; Crouse; Kessler; Morris; Sherstad and Skinner.

Staff:  John Welsh (786-7133).

Background:  Regulation of the health professions includes a credentialing process involving examinations for qualifying applicants for licensure. Most of the examining boards have the option of using regional or national examinations as well as developing their own examinations.  However, some boards are limited by law from using regional or national examinations.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The authority to use and administer regional or national examinations is granted to examining boards for chiropractic; dispensing opticians; optometry; dental hygiene; pharmacy and pharmacy assistants; physical therapy; psychology; and veterinary medicine.

There are housekeeping changes made to the practice laws of chiropractic; dentistry; dental hygiene; optometry; veterinary medicine; and massage therapy.  Principally, examination subjects are no longer limited solely to those specified by statutory inclusion.  Standards  for grading, passing and administering examinations are left to the examining boards. Students are exempt from licensure requirements.  Some technical changes are made updating the practice acts generally.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The reference to subjects taught in schools of optometry is deleted.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill gives the examining boards the flexibility to use regional or national examinations.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Ron Weaver, Department of Health (pro).