CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

                        SENATE BILL 5448

 

 

                    Chapter 79, Laws of 1997

 

 

                        55th Legislature

                      1997 Regular Session

 

 

MERGING THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS ACCOUNT AND THE MEDICAL DISCIPLINARY ACCOUNT

 

 

 

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  7/1/97

Passed by the Senate March 7, 1997

  YEAS 48   NAYS 0

 

 

 

               BRAD OWEN

President of the Senate

 

Passed by the House April 9, 1997

  YEAS 98   NAYS 0

             CERTIFICATE

 

I, Mike O=Connell, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is  SENATE BILL 5448 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

 

             CLYDE BALLARD

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

           MIKE O'CONNELL

                            Secretary

 

 

Approved April 19, 1997 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.   

                                FILED          

 

 

          April 19, 1997 - 10:50 a.m.

 

 

 

              GARY LOCKE

Governor of the State of Washington

                   Secretary of State

                  State of Washington


          _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 5448

          _______________________________________________

 

             Passed Legislature - 1997 Regular Session

 

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

 

By Senators Deccio, Wojahn, Wood and Fairley

 

Read first time 01/27/97.  Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Merging the health professions account and the medical disciplinary account.  


    AN ACT Relating to the merger of the health professions account and the medical disciplinary account; amending RCW 18.71.310; adding a new section to chapter 18.71 RCW; creating new sections; repealing RCW 18.71.400 and 18.71.410; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 18.71 RCW to read as follows:

    All assessments, fines, and other funds collected or received under this chapter must be deposited in the health professions account and used solely to administer and implement this chapter.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 18.71.310 and 1994 sp.s. c 9 s 330 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The commission shall enter into a contract with the committee to implement an impaired physician program.  The impaired physician program may include any or all of the following:

    (a) Contracting with providers of treatment programs;

    (b) Receiving and evaluating reports of suspected impairment from any source;

    (c) Intervening in cases of verified impairment;

    (d) Referring impaired physicians to treatment programs;

    (e) Monitoring the treatment and rehabilitation of impaired physicians including those ordered by the commission;

    (f) Providing post-treatment monitoring and support of rehabilitative impaired physicians;

    (g) Performing such other activities as agreed upon by the commission and the committee; and

    (h) Providing prevention and education services.

    (2) A contract entered into under subsection (1) of this section shall be financed by a surcharge of up to twenty-five dollars per year on each license renewal or issuance of a new license to be collected by the department of health from every physician and surgeon licensed under this chapter in addition to other license fees ((and the medical discipline assessment fee established under RCW 18.72.380)).  These moneys shall be placed in the health professions account to be used solely for the implementation of the impaired physician program.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  The department of health shall merge the medical license renewal fee and the medical disciplinary assessment fee into a single medical renewal fee, which shall be deposited into the health professions account.  The initial amount of the merged fee shall be the sum of the medical license renewal fee and the medical disciplinary assessment fee as of January 1, 1997.  The department may make future adjustments to the amount of the merged fee pursuant to RCW 43.70.250.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  The department of health shall transfer the entire balance of the medical disciplinary account to the health professions account to be used solely to administer and implement the provisions of chapter 18.71 RCW.  Until changes to fees are adopted by rule under section 3 of this act, the department shall deposit any fees intended for the medical disciplinary account into the health professions account and utilize them solely to administer and implement the provisions of chapter 18.71 RCW.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:

    (1) RCW 18.71.400 and 1996 c 191 s 56, 1993 c 367 s 18, 1991 c 3 s 170, 1985 c 7 s 62, & 1983 c 71 s 1; and

    (2) RCW 18.71.410 and 1991 sp.s. c 13 s 17, 1985 c 57 s 6, & 1983 c 71 s 2.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 1997.


    Passed the Senate March 7, 1997.

    Passed the House April 9, 1997.

Approved by the Governor April 19, 1997.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 19, 1997.