AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Attorneys, doctors, nurses, and most licensed professionals in Texas are governed by licensing boards constituted by at least a majority of individuals who are themselves a member of the profession the board regulates.  Physician assistants (PA) are currently governed by the Texas Physician Assistant Board (PAB) which consists of nine total members—three practicing PAs, three physicians, and three public members.

 

S.B. 889 brings PAs on parity with other licensed professionals in Texas by increasing the number of PAs on PAB to seven, thus making PAs the majority of the board regulating their profession.

 

As proposed, S.B. 889 amends current law relating to the physician assistant board.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 204.052(a), Occupations Code, as follows:

 

(a)  Provides that the physician assistant board (PAB) consists of 13, rather than nine, members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate as follows:

 

(1)  seven, rather than three, practicing physician assistant members who each have at least five years of clinical experience as a physician assistant; and

 

(2)-(3)  Makes no change to these subdivisions.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 204.054(a), Occupations Code, to increase from three to four or five the number of members, as applicable, whose terms expire on February 1 of each odd-numbered year.   

 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 204.055, Occupations Code, to require the governor to designate a physician assistant member, rather than a member, of PAB as the presiding officer of PAB to serve in that capacity at the will of the governor.

 

SECTION 4.  Requires the governor, not later than November 1, 2013, to appoint four members to PAB as provided by Section 204.052(a)(1), Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, as follows:

 

(1)  one member for a term expiring February 1, 2015;

 

(2)  one member for a term expiring February 1, 2017; and

 

(3)  two members for terms expiring February 1, 2019.

 

SECTION 5.  Provides that if, on the effective date of this Act, the presiding officer of PAB does not meet the qualifications for office as presiding officer under Section 204.055, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, the presiding officer is removed from office as presiding officer on that date. Requires the governor, as soon as practicable on or after the effective date of this Act, to appoint a presiding officer who meets the qualifications under Section 204.055, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act.

 

SECTION 6.  Effective date: September 1, 2013.