SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1863

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

            Health & Long-Term Care, March 31, 1999

                  Ways & Means, April 5, 1999

Title:  An act relating to compensation for members of part‑time health commissions.

Brief Description:  Providing for compensation to part‑time health commissions.

Sponsors:  Representatives Skinner, Cody, Lovick and Campbell.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Health & Long‑Term Care:  3/22/99, 3/31/99 [DPA-WM].

Ways & Means:  4/2/99, 4/5/99 [DPA (HEA), DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

  Signed by Senators Thibaudeau, Chair; Wojahn, Vice Chair; Costa, Deccio, Franklin, Johnson and Winsley.

Staff:  Christopher Blake (786-7446)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

  Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Bauer, Vice Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Rasmussen, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, West, Winsley and Wojahn.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

  Signed by Senators Honeyford, McDonald and Zarelli.

Staff:  Brian Sims (786-7431)

Background:  Members of state commissions, boards, and committees may be compensated for attending official meetings of the group or time spent performing statutorily required duties.  The amount of compensation received depends upon the classification of the group in one of four categories.  The categories range in pay from nothing to $100 per day depending upon the degree of responsibility they possess.

Some feel that members of commissions charged with licensing and regulating health professions need to be compensated at a higher rate.  Currently, the commissions responsible for regulating physicians, dentists, nurses, and chiropractors are class three groups which may receive up to $50 per day.

Summary of Amended Bill:  A class five group is created to compensate part-time commissions that have rulemaking authority, perform quasi-judicial functions, determine policy direction for health profession credentialing programs, and perform regulatory and licensing functions for health care professionals.  Each member of a class five group may receive up to $250 for every day spent at an official meeting of the group or performing statutorily prescribed duties.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The striking amendment made corrections to internal references.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  Current compensation levels for members of health profession commissions need to be increased in order to attract more practicing professionals to serve.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO: Representative Skinner, prime sponsor; Carl Nelson, Washington State Medical Association.