HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5702

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                         Health Care

Title:  An act relating to physician assistant licensing and practice restrictions.

Brief Description:  Changing physician assistant licensing and practice requirements.

Sponsors:  Senators Thibaudeau and Deccio.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Health Care:  4/1/99 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Clarifies requirements for applicants for licensure as physician assistants to take and pass the licensure examination within a year of the application.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 7 members:  Representatives Cody, Democratic Co-Chair; Parlette, Republican Co-Chair; Pflug, Republican Vice Chair; Alexander; Campbell; Conway and Edmonds.

Staff:  John Welsh (786-7133).

Background:

The Medical Quality Assurance Commission and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery are authorized to fix by rule the qualification requirements for licensing physician assistants and osteopathic physician assistants respectively.  The qualifications require applicants for licensure to complete an accredited physician assistant training program and be eligible to take the licensure examination. 

The law, however, does not expressly require an applicant to actually take the examination, beyond being technically eligible for it.

There is no provision for an interim permit allowing a licensure applicant to practice before taking the examination.

Summary of Bill:

Rules promulgated by the Medical Quality Assurance Commission and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, establishing the qualification requirements for licensing physician assistants and osteopathic physician assistants respectively, must require an applicant to successfully take and pass an examination.

The Department of Health may grant an interim permit for one year to allow the licensure applicant to take the examination if the applicant meets all other licensing requirements.  Physician assistants licensed prior to July 1, 1999 are not effected by this act.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The statute inadvertently neglects to require applicants for licensure to actually take and pass the examination.  It simply states that they must be eligible to take it.  This bill clarifies the intent of the law.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (support) Senator Thibaudeau, prime sponsor; and Jeff Larsen, Washington Academy of Physician Assistants.