Title: An act relating to allowing physician assistants to determine disability for special parking privileges.

Brief Description: Allowing physician assistants to determine disability for special parking privileges.

Sponsors: House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Clibborn, Curtis, Simpson, Darneille, Schual-Berke, Dickerson and Dunn).

Brief History: Passed House: 2/10/06, 97-1.

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/27/06 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Jacobsen, Vice Chair; Poulsen, Vice Chair; Benson, Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Eide, Esser, Finkbeiner, Mulliken, Sheldon, Spanel, Swecker and Weinstein.

Staff: Dory On (786-7321)

Background: Under current law, the Department of Licensing (Department) must grant special parking privileges to any person who meets certain criteria as determined by a licensed physician or an advanced registered nurse practitioner.

A physician assistant is a person who is academically and clinically prepared to provide health care services, and who is licensed by the Medical Quality Assurance Commission (Commission) to practice medicine to a limited extent only under the supervision of a physician. An osteopathic physician's assistant is a person who has satisfactorily completed a training program designed by the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery to prepare the person to practice medicine to a limited extent under the supervision of an osteopathic physician.

Summary of Bill: Licensed physician assistants are added to the list of medical personnel who may determine whether an individual meets the statutory criteria to qualify for special parking privileges.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: Physician assistants can generally sign the same medical authorizations as physicians, and yet the statute regarding medical determinations for special parking privilege purposes does not allow physician assistants to sign the special parking application. This bill will allow better access to special parking permits for those needing them.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Carl Nelson, Washington State Medical Association and Washington Academy of Physician Assistants; Monica Morrison, PA-C, Washington Academy of Physician Assistants.