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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
physicians; naturopathic medicine
Purpose
Makes various statutory changes regarding naturopathic physicians (NPs).
Background
Current statute defines naturopathic medicine as medicine taught in approved schools of naturopathic medicine and in clinical, internship, preceptorship and postdoctoral training programs approved by the Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board (Board) and practiced by an individual who is the recipient of a degree of doctor of naturopathic medicine and licensed by the Board (A.R.S. § 32-1501). The Board regulates NPs, naturopathic medical students certified for training, graduates certified to participate in preceptorship training and naturopathic medical assistants who work under NPs. Additionally, the Board processes and issues certificates to dispense and certificates to conduct preceptorships to qualified licensees (Board).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1.
Allows NPs to issue standing
orders that allow an employee of a school district or charter school who is
trained in the administration of epinephrine auto-injectors to administer the
auto-injectors to a pupil or an adult who the employee believes to be
exhibiting symptoms of anaphylactic shock.
2. Grants NPs immunity from civil liability with respect to all decisions made that are based on good faith implementation as it relates to issuing orders to allow school district or charter school employees to administer auto-injectors.
3. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules that prescribe procedures for annually requesting a standing order for epinephrine auto-injectors from NPs.
4. Prohibits excessive absenteeism from applying to pupils who have completed the course requirements and whose absence from school is due solely to illness, disease or accident as certified by licensed NPs.
5. Requires the Arizona Department of Transportation to provide on each driver license and each nonoperating identification license a space where a licensee may indicate that the licensee suffers from some type of adverse medical condition using a medical code prescribed by the Arizona Department of Transportation if the licensee presents a signed statement from a licensed NP.
6. Allows NPs to test a health care provider or first responder who has had an occupational significant exposure risk to a patient’s bodily fluid for HIV if they are licensed and competent to determine a significant exposure risk.
7. Prohibits NPs who test a health care provider or first responder due to their significant exposure risk to a patient’s bodily fluids from disclosing communicable disease-related information except as authorized by state or federal law.
8. Requires the director of the Department of Health Services (DHS) to adopt rules and regulations establishing an effective procedure under which NPs shall report to DHS all analyses of blood samples which indicate significant levels of lead.
9. Includes NPs in the definition of health care provider as it relates to genetic testing.
10. Includes NPs in the definition of submitting entity as it relates to sexual offenses concerning sexually transmitted diseases.
11. Includes NPs in the definition of physician as
it relates to unlicensed drivers and
medically-underserved area health services.
12. Makes technical and conforming changes.
13. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 11, 2021
CRS/kja