HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2792
BYRepresentatives Day, D. Sommers, R. King, Vekich, Dellwo, Wolfe and Rector
Regulating podiatric physicians and surgeons.
House Committe on Health Care
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. (11)
Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Brooks, Ranking Republican Member; Cantwell, Chandler, Morris, Prentice, D. Sommers, Sprenkle, Vekich and Wolfe.
House Staff:John Welsh (786-7133)
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE FEBRUARY 1, 1990
BACKGROUND:
The podiatry practice act, first enacted in 1917, provides for the regulation of podiatrists through licensure by the Department of Health and the Washington State Podiatry Board. The practice act does not reflect current developments in the field of podiatry and needs to be modernized in terminology, educational qualifications, and in other respects.
A podiatrist is a podiatric physician and surgeon of the foot.
The Washington State Podiatry Board examines applicants for licensure as podiatrists and regulates the practice of podiatry.
The only officer of the board is a chairperson, and there is no definition of a quorum.
The board has no specific authority to approve podiatric schools.
There is no specific prohibition against practicing podiatry without a license.
Applicants for licensure must be over 18 years of age and of good moral character, completed high school and two years of college, and an approved course in podiatry.
The is no reference to the duty of the board to establish the date and location of the examinations.
Applicants for licensure who are licensed in other states must take the state podiatry examination as well as the national one in order to be licensed here.
Applicants for licensure in this state must take an examination administered by the board.
The board may recognize experience as a credit toward the examination grade.
The requirements for license renewal are specified in law.
There are no provisions for placing a license on inactive status.
There are no references to the secretary's authority to set fees, establish forms, and maintain records.
There is no exemption from the requirement of licensure provided for the administration of family remedies or treatment by prayer.
There are no exemptions from civil or criminal liability for the secretary, board members, and their agents in the course of their duties.
The podiatry practice act contains obsolete terminology and statutory references.
SUMMARY:
SUBSTITUTE BILL: Practitioners of podiatry are titled as podiatric physicians and surgeons instead of as podiatrists in the podiatry licensure act.
The name of the Washington State Podiatry Board is changed to the Washington State Podiatric Medical Board, and references to podiatry are replaced through out the act generally with the term podiatric.
The officers of the board include a vice-chairperson and secretary, and a simple majority of the board currently serving constitutes a quorum.
The powers of the board are clarified to include the approval of podiatric schools.
Podiatric practice and representation as a podiatric physician and surgeon is restricted to those licensed.
Applicants for licensure must submit proof that the applicant has not engaged in unprofessional conduct, and has completed an approved course of instruction. The minimum requirement of a high school diploma with two years of college prior to a course in podiatry is deleted, as well as the age requirement.
The board must establish the date, location, and application deadline for examinations.
Applicants who are licensed in other states may receive a license without examination if the standards of the other state are substantially equivalent.
Applicants must pass the national Board of Podiatry examination, as well as the state examination, but the board may approve an examination prepared by a private testing agency or licensing authority.
Experience may no longer count as credit toward the examination grade.
The board must establish by rule the requirements for license renewal.
There are provisions for placing a license on inactive status.
The secretary of Health is authorized to set fees, establish forms and maintain records.
The administration of family remedies or treatment by prayer is exempted from the requirement for licensure.
The secretary, members of the board and their agents are exempted from civil or criminal liability.
The act is up-dated to reflect current terminology, and statutes are repealed that are redundant with these changes.
SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: Podiatrists licensed in other states with substantially similar standards may be licensed in this state without examination, and the current statute on reciprocity in repealed. The authority of the board to issue declaratory opinions is deleted.
Fiscal Note: Not Requested.
House Committee ‑ Testified For: Melanie Stewart, Washington State Podiatric Medical Association, and Dr. Jerry Schlesinger, State Board of Podiatry.
House Committee - Testified Against: No one.
House Committee - Testimony For: The podiatry practice act is out of date, filled with obsolete terminology, and should be modernized. Statutory references to the Department of Licensing need to be changed to the Department of Health. Educational qualifications should be increased for licensure.
House Committee - Testimony Against: None.