HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5739

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                         Health Care

Title:  An act relating to certificates of death or fetal death.

Brief Description:  Preparing certificates of death or fetal death.

Sponsors:  Senators Thibaudeau and Deccio.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Health Care:  2/17/00, 2/25/00 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Allows funeral directors or coroners to accept a certificate of death signed by an advanced registered nurse practitioner or physician's assistant.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Cody, Democratic Co-Chair; Parlette, Republican Co-Chair; Pflug, Republican Vice Chair; Schual-Berke, Democratic Vice Chair; Alexander; Campbell; Conway; Edmonds; Edwards; Mulliken; Pennington and Ruderman.

Staff:  Antonio Sanchez (786-7383).

Background:

The Washington Administrative Code (departmental rules) authorizes physicians' assistants to sign and attest to death certificates.  The Administrative Code also gives an advanced registered nurse practitioner-certified midwife the authority to certify death or fetal death.  These responsibilities, however, are not currently reflected in the Revised Code of Washington's (laws) provisions regarding the coroner's ability to accept the signature of physician assistants and advanced registered nurses on death certificates.

Summary of Bill:

A funeral director or person in charge of interment is allowed to present a certificate of death to a physician's assistant or an advanced registered nurse practitioner to certify death or fetal death when he or she is the last person in attendance of the deceased.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This measure will expedite the process for death certificates especially for rural areas of the state that do not have physicians.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jeff Larsen, Washington Academy of Physicians Assistants; and Jerri Henry, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners United.