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.