Assigned to HHS                                                                                                                            AS ENACTED

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session

ENACTED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1015/H.B. 2292

physician assistants; licensure; board

Purpose

            Allows the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants (AZPA) to issue a new license to a physician assistant (PA) who surrendered a license if the applicant demonstrates satisfactory rehabilitation.

Background

            The AZPA is responsible for licensing qualified PAs and protecting the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired or unprofessional PAs. The AZPA is authorized to investigate any evidence that a PA is or may be medically incompetent, guilty of unprofessional conduct or mentally or physically unable to carry out approved health care tasks. If the AZPA finds that the information warrants suspension or revocation of a PA's license, the AZPA must initiate formal proceedings for the suspension or revocation of the PA's license. The AZPA can accept the surrender of an active license from a person who admits to being unable to safely engage in the practice of medicine, commits an act of unprofessional conduct or violates any other
AZPA-related rule or statute (A.R.S. §§ 32-2504 and 32-2551).

            The AZPA is permitted to issue a new license to a PA whose license was previously revoked if the applicant demonstrates to the AZPA that the applicant is completely rehabilitated with respect to the conduct that was the basis for revocation. The AZPA must determine that:
1) the applicant has not engaged in any conduct during the revocation period that would constitute a basis for revocation; 2) if a criminal conviction was the basis of revocation, the applicant's civil rights have been fully restored; 3) the applicant has made restitution to any aggrieved person as ordered by the court; and 4) the applicant demonstrates any other standard of rehabilitation the AZPA determines to be appropriate. Statute requires an applicant for licensure reinstatement to comply with all initial licensing requirements (A.R.S. § 32-2558).

            There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Allows the AZPA to issue a new license to a PA who surrendered their license if the applicant demonstrates to the AZPA's satisfaction that the applicant is rehabilitated with respect to the conduct that was the basis for the surrender.

2. Entitles AZPA members to receive up to $200, rather than $200, for each day of AZPA service.

3. Makes technical and conforming changes.

4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Senate Action House Action

HHS                1/13/21      DP     8-0-0                    HHS                1/25/21      DP     9-0-0-0

3^rd Read          1/28/21                 29-0-1                  3^rd Read          2/4/21                   59-0-0-0-1

(S.B. 1015 was substituted for H.B. 2292 on

                                                                                 3^rd Read)

Signed by the Governor 2/12/21

Chapter 13

Prepared by Senate Research

February 25, 2021

CRS/kja