FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1863

                         C 366 L 99

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Providing for compensation to part‑time health commissions.

Sponsors:  Representatives Skinner, Cody, Lovick and Campbell.

House Committee on Health Care

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

State government is served by a number of committees, boards and commissions whose members are appointed from the public at large.  These entities are charged with varying responsibilities, ranging from providing expertise in the administration of specified programs to policy development.  Compensation for these part-time public members is specified by law according to the degree of responsibilities exercised by these entities.

There are a number of advisory committees, boards and commissions composed of heath professionals with responsibilities for credentialing applicants for licensing, certification, and registration, and which may have disciplinary functions.  There are four full-authority commissions with disciplinary authority governing the practices of medicine, dentistry, nursing and chiropractic respectively.

The law fixes the rates of compensation for appointees of four groups of committees, according to their level of responsibilities.  Class 1 boards are advisory in nature, and their members receive no compensation.  Class 2 boards are agricultural commodity commissions and their members receive up to $35 per day.  Class 3 boards have full-authority regulatory or licensing functions and their members receive up to $50 per day.  Class 4 boards have duties deemed by the Legislature to be of overriding sensitivity and importance and their members receive up to $100 per day.  Administrative costs of the commissions and boards are borne by license fees.

Summary:

A new Class 5 group is created for compensating members of the health care commissions having quasi-judicial functions with responsibilities for policy direction in health professional credentialing programs, and regulatory and licensing functions.  Members of these commissions may receive compensation of up to $250 per day for each day spent in performing authorized duties.  The Class 5 group includes the medical, dental, chiropractic and nursing quality assurance commissions.

Votes on Final Passage:

House932

Senate396(Senate amended)

House970(House concurred)

Effective:July 25, 1999