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

Brief Description: Regarding physician assistants determining disability for special parking privileges.

Sponsors: By Representatives Clibborn, Curtis, Seaquist, Hinkle, Morrell, Linville, Armstrong, Rodne, B. Sullivan, Ericksen, Ericks, Roberts, Darneille, Moeller and McCune.

Brief History:

Transportation: 1/31/07, 2/12/07 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/28/07, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Clibborn, Chair; Flannigan, Vice Chair; Jarrett, Ranking Minority Member; Schindler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Armstrong, Campbell, Curtis, Dickerson, Eddy, Ericksen, Hailey, Hankins, Kristiansen, Lovick, Rodne, Rolfes, Sells, Simpson, Springer, B. Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove, Wallace and Wood.

Staff: David Munnecke (786-7315).

Background:

The Department of Licensing is required to grant special parking privileges to any person that has a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk and meets one of the following criteria, as determined by a licensed physician or an advanced nurse practitioner:

• cannot walk further than 200 feet without stopping to rest;
• is severely limited in the ability to walk due to arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition;
• is so severely disabled that the person cannot walk without an assistive device;
• uses portable oxygen;
• is restricted by lung disease to a particular extent;
• is impaired by cardiovascular disease or cardiac condition to a particular extent; or
• has a disability resulting from acute sensitivity to automobile emissions that impairs the ability to walk.

An osteopathic physician's assistant is defined by 18.57A RCW as a person who has satisfactorily completed a board-approved training program designed to prepare persons to practice osteopathic medicine to a limited extent.

A physician assistant is defined by 18.71A RCW as a person licensed by the Medical Quality Assurance Commission to practice medicine to a limited extent only under the supervision of a physician as defined in chapter 18.71 RCW and who is academically and clinically prepared to provide health care services and perform diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative and health maintenance services.

Summary of Bill:

Adds physician assistants and osteopathic physician's assistants to the list of persons eligible to determine if an individual meets the criteria for the issuance of special parking privileges by the Director of the Department of Licensing.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Physician assistants already see patients. This bill would merely add them to the list of people who are allowed to sign off on special parking privileges, rather than forcing them to locate their supervising physician.

Patients assume that the health provider they see can help them. Physician assistants work as members of a team along with doctors. Physician assistants have the ability to assess disabilities, and allowing them to sign for special parking privileges would promote access, help the disabled, and make the health system more efficient. Physician assistants should be able to help all their patients, and should thus be allowed to practice in this fashion.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Clibborn, prime sponsor; Carl Nelson, Washington Academy of Physician Assistants; Denise Grechalla, Washington Academy of Physician Assistants; and Bill Crowell, Washington Association of Physician Assistants.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.