HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2607
As Reported by House Committee On:
Education
Title: An act relating to physical examinations by health practitioners.
Brief Description: Requiring physical examinations prior to participation in interscholastic athletic activities.
Sponsors: Representatives McDermott, Armstrong, Ruderman, Rockefeller, Campbell, Conway, Cody, Pearson, Esser and Kenney.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Education: 2/4/02, 2/7/02 [DPA].
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Brief Summary of Amended Bill |
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$Requires secondary students, before participating in school athletics, to undergo a physical examination and be approved for athletic competition. |
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$Lists the types of health care professionals who may provide the physical examination.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; Haigh, Vice Chair; McDermott, Rockefeller, Santos, Schmidt and Upthegrove.
Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 4 members: Representatives Talcott, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Cox and Schindler.
Staff: Ilene Miller (786‑7310).
Background:
Each school district board of directors is given the authority to control, supervise and regulate interschool athletic activities, and interschool extracurricular activities that are by nature athletic, cultural, social or recreational. The board of directors is also given the authority to delegate the control, supervision and regulation of these activities to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) or any other voluntary nonprofit entity. The WIAA is comprised of member schools from both the middle school and high school levels. All member schools have agreed to abide by the WIAA=s policies. The WIAA has established policies that require students wishing to participate in school athletics to have a physical examination prior to the first practice.
Summary of Amended Bill:
Students wishing to participate in school athletics at both the middle school and high school levels must undergo a thorough physical examination prior to the first practice, and these students must also be approved for athletic competition. The examination must be performed by a licensed physician, osteopathic physician, physician=s assistant, chiropractor, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, naturopathic physician, or other health care professional acting within the scope of his or her license.
Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:
Removes the ability of voluntary nonprofit entities to create rules which determine the scope of a health care professional=s license and to create rules for including other requirements for physical examinations. Removes the requirement for first-time high school student athletes to have a new physical examination regardless of when their last examination was.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not Requested.
Effective Date of Amended Bill: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Chiropractors receive extensive training in order to become a licensed chiropractor. A lot of classroom time is spent understanding how the body functions as a whole. Chiropractors see patients for physical examinations on a daily basis and should be allowed to perform physicals for high school level student athletes.
Testimony Against: Chiropractors focus on the treatment of the spine, vertebrae and joints. The focus of a physical examination for a student athlete is different as it includes a much broader scope. It needs to include cardio-pulmonary history as well. A chiropractic exam is just not inclusive enough to deal with all of the systems in a student's body and all of the issues that might arise during the exam.
Testified: (In support) Representative McDermott, prime sponsor; Lori Bielinski, Washington State Chiropractic Association; Randy Dreessen, Chiropractor; and Doug Nordstrom, Chiropractor.
(Opposed) John Olson, Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.