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.

House Committee on Transportation
Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

Background:

The Department of Licensing is required to grant special parking privileges to any person who 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 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 as a person licensed by the Medical Quality Assurance Commission to practice medicine to a limited extent only under the supervision of a physician and who is academically and clinically prepared to provide health care services and perform diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative and health maintenance services.

Summary:

Physician assistants and osteopathic physician's assistants are added 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.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   96   1
Senate   48   0

Effective: July 22, 2007