SSB 5913 -
By Committee on Health Care & Wellness
ADOPTED 04/08/2009
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 43.70.110 and 2007 c 259 s 11 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The secretary shall charge fees to the licensee for obtaining
a license. After June 30, 1995, municipal corporations providing
emergency medical care and transportation services pursuant to chapter
18.73 RCW shall be exempt from such fees, provided that such other
emergency services shall only be charged for their pro rata share of
the cost of licensure and inspection, if appropriate. The secretary
may waive the fees when, in the discretion of the secretary, the fees
would not be in the best interest of public health and safety, or when
the fees would be to the financial disadvantage of the state.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, fees
charged shall be based on, but shall not exceed, the cost to the
department for the licensure of the activity or class of activities and
may include costs of necessary inspection.
(3) License fees shall include amounts in addition to the cost of
licensure activities in the following circumstances:
(a) For registered nurses and licensed practical nurses licensed
under chapter 18.79 RCW, support of a central nursing resource center
as provided in RCW 18.79.202, until June 30, 2013;
(b) For all health care providers licensed under RCW 18.130.040,
the cost of regulatory activities for retired volunteer medical worker
licensees as provided in RCW 18.130.360; and
(c)(i) For physicians licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW, physician
assistants licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW, osteopathic physicians
licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW, osteopathic physicians' assistants
licensed under chapter 18.57A RCW, naturopaths licensed under chapter
18.36A RCW, podiatrists licensed under chapter 18.22 RCW, chiropractors
licensed under chapter 18.25 RCW, psychologists licensed under chapter
18.83 RCW, registered nurses licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW,
optometrists licensed under chapter 18.53 RCW, mental health counselors
licensed under chapter 18.225 RCW, massage therapists licensed under
chapter 18.108 RCW, clinical social workers licensed under chapter
18.225 RCW, and acupuncturists licensed under chapter 18.06 RCW, the
license fees shall include up to an additional twenty-five dollars to
be transferred by the department to the University of Washington for
the purposes of RCW 43.70.112. However, each person subject to this
subsection (3)(c) is required to pay only one surcharge of up to
twenty-five dollars annually for the purposes of RCW 43.70.112,
regardless of how many professional licenses he or she holds. Each
year, by December 1st, the department shall provide an annual
accounting of the use of the surcharge paid under this subsection,
including the amounts paid by each of the professions subject to the
surcharge. The accounting must be transmitted by electronic mail to
the members of the health care committees of the legislature.
(ii) Annually, beginning within one year after the program begins,
the department shall convene a user advisory group to review the online
access program under RCW 43.70.112 and make recommendations for
improving the program. The work group must include a licensed
professional from each of the categories of professionals paying the
surcharge under (c)(i) of this subsection, a department representative,
and a representative from the University of Washington.
(4) Department of health advisory committees may review fees
established by the secretary for licenses and comment upon the
appropriateness of the level of such fees.
Sec. 2 RCW 43.70.112 and 2007 c 259 s 12 are each amended to read
as follows:
Within the amounts transferred from the department of health under
RCW 43.70.110(3), the University of Washington shall, through the
health sciences library, provide online access to selected vital
clinical resources, medical journals, decision support tools, and
evidence-based reviews of procedures, drugs, and devices to the health
professionals listed in RCW 43.70.110(3)(c). Online access shall be
available no later than January 1, 2009. Each year, by December 1st,
the University of Washington shall provide an annual accounting of the
use of the funds transferred, including which categories of health
professionals are using the materials available under the program. The
accounting must be transmitted by electronic mail to the members of the
health care committees of the legislature."
EFFECT: The amendment (1) adds that the DOH must also provide an accounting of the use of the funds paid under the online access program, and that both the DOH and the University of Washington must provide the accounting to the legislative health care committees by December 1 each year; (2) requires the DOH to convene a user advisory group to review the online access program and make recommendations for improving the program; and (3) makes various technical changes.