AN ACT relating to physician assistants.
     Create new sections of KRS 311.840 TO 311.862 to establish the acts constituting false representation as a physician assistant, permit physician assistants to prescribe all legend drugs and Schedule II to V controlled substances, require the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure to establish an impaired physician assistant program, establish the requirements for a physician assistant and supervising physician while rendering emergency medical assistance, exempt physician assistants and supervising physicians from civil damages for acts rendered while administering medical assistance and the parameters for exemption; amend KRS 311.840 to make a technical change, to defined "legend drug" and change the definition of "supervision"; amend KRS 311.842 to delete the provision that licensure is not required of a physician assistant student or a physician assistant employment by the federal government while performing duties relating to that employed; amend KRS 311.844 to establish the requirements for licensure as a physician assistant; amend KRS 311.845 to permit temporary licensure of a physician assistant, establish the requirements for physician assistant to place a license on inactive status, and delete various provisions for the granting of a temporary license; amend KRS 311.850 to establish the conditions under which a physician assistant's license may be revoked, suspended, denied, limited, or restricted or cause a physician assistant to be placed on probation; amend KRS 311.854 to delete the provision establishing the limits on the number of supervision agreements a physician may have; amend KRS 311.856 to delete various provisions including restriction of a physician assistant to services within the supervising physician's scope of practice, prohibiting a physician assistant from prescribing and dispensing controlled substances, informing a patient of a physician assistant's status, requiring records of service by a physician assistant to be signed in a timely manner, and requiring reevaluation of a physician assistant every two years; amend KRS 311.858 to add provisions for duties and services a supervising physician may delegate to a physician assistant including ordering, prescribing, dispensing, and administering drugs and medical devices, providing medical services within the supervising physician's scope of practice as previously provided in KRS 311.856, authenticating signatures, ordering diagnostic, therapeutic, and other medical services, require a physician assistant to make his or her license available for inspection at all times and identify himself or herself as a physician assistant when engaged in professional activity, and delete the provision prohibiting a physician assistant from practicing medicine or osteopathy without supervision; amend KRS 311.860 to change the term "nonseparate location" to "physician's primary practice"; amend KRS 311.862 to require that a physician assistant practicing as a anesthesiology assistant prior to July 15, 2002, be a graduate of an approved program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant; amend KRS 311.990 to establish the penalties for false representation as a physician assistant.

     Feb 2-introduced in House
     Feb 3-to Health & Welfare (H)
     Feb 9-posted in committee
     Feb 25-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
     Feb 26-2nd reading, to Rules; floor amendment (1) filed
     Mar 4-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 5, 2010
     Mar 5-floor amendments (2) and (3-title) filed
     Mar 9-floor amendments (4) and (5-title) filed
     Mar 10-floor amendments (2) (3-title) (4) and (5-title) withdrawn
     Mar 24-taken from the Orders of the Day; returned to Rules (H)
     Mar 25-recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)