WEST virginia legislature

2017 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2538

By Delegates  Ellington, Summers, Rohrbach, Longstreth and Rodighiero

[Introduced February 17, 2017; Referred
to the Committee on Health and Human Resources then Government Organization.]

A BILL to amend and reenact §30-3E-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; relating to the licensure of physician assistants.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That §30-3E-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 3E. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS PRACTICE ACT.

§30-3E-4. License to practice as a physician assistant.

(a) A person seeking licensure as a physician assistant shall apply to the Board of Medicine or to the Board of Osteopathic Medicine. The appropriate board shall issue a license to practice as a physician assistant under the supervision of that board's licensed physicians or podiatrists.

(b) A license may be granted to a person who:

(1) Files a complete application;

(2) Pays the applicable fees;

(3) Demonstrates to the board's satisfaction that he or she:

(A) Obtained a baccalaureate or master's degree from an accredited program of instruction for physician assistants;

(B) Prior to July 1, 1994, graduated from an approved program of instruction in primary health care or surgery; or

(C) Prior to July 1, 1983, was certified by the Board of Medicine as a physician assistant then classified as "Type B";

(4) Has passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants;

(5) Has a current certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants;

(6) (5) Is mentally and physically able to engage safely in practice as a physician assistant;

(7) (6) Has not had a physician assistant license, certification or registration in any jurisdiction suspended or revoked;

(8) (7) Is not currently subject to any limitation, restriction, suspension, revocation or discipline concerning a physician assistant license, certification or registration in any jurisdiction: Provided, That if a board is made aware of any problems with a physician assistant license, certification or registration and agrees to issue a license, certification or registration notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision or subdivision (7) (6) of this subsection;

(9) (8) Is of good moral character; and

(10) (9) Has fulfilled any other requirement specified by the appropriate board.

(c) A board may deny an application for a physician assistant license to any applicant determined to be unqualified by the board.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to remove the requirement that a physician assistant have a certain current certification.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.