03/27/2007 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

9:02:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     SENATE BILL NO. 85                                                                                                         
     "An  Act  extending  the  termination  date  for  the  State                                                               
     Medical Board; and providing for an effective date."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance                                                                  
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman announced intent to report this bill from                                                                      
Committee unless concerns were identified.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE 9:02:59 AM / 9:03:06 AM                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:03:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RICHARD BENAVIDES, Staff to Senator Bettye Davis, sponsor of the                                                                
bill, testified reading the sponsor statement into the record as                                                                
follows.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Senate Bill 85 extends the  sunset date of the State Medical                                                               
     Board  until   June  30,  2013,   in  accordance   with  the                                                               
     recommendations of the  Legislative Auditor. The legislative                                                               
     auditor  has concluded  that the  State Medical  Board meets                                                               
     the  statutory  requirements  of   public  need  and  should                                                               
    continue to regulate the occupations under its purview.                                                                     
     The  board   consists  of  five  licensed   physicians,  one                                                               
     licensed  physician  assistant,  and  two  persons  with  no                                                               
     direct financial  interests in the healthcare  industry. The                                                               
     board  serves  the  public   interest  by  establishing  the                                                               
     minimum  education  and  work experience  requirements  that                                                               
     individuals  must   meet  to  become   licenses  physicians,                                                               
     osteopaths,    podiatrists,   paramedics,    and   physician                                                               
     assistants. The board further serves  the public interest by                                                               
     investigating complaints against  licensed professionals and                                                               
     taking disciplinary licensing action when appropriate.                                                                     
     The  board   has  consistently   proven  to   be  efficient,                                                               
     therefore  I  recommend  that the  State  Medical  Board  be                                                               
     extended  to June  30, 2013,  and  ask for  your support  in                                                               
     passage of this bill.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:05:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman directed  attention to  an updated  fiscal note                                                               
prepared  by the  Senate Finance  Committee. The  original fiscal                                                               
note   incorrectly   included   an  estimate   of   $846,000   as                                                               
expenditures for FY 07. This  legislation would have no impact on                                                               
the current year budget.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:05:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Dyson inquired about the  auditor recommendation that the                                                               
State Medical Board update certain regulations.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:06:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAT DAVIDSON, Director, Division  of Legislative Audit, testified                                                               
that other  than the  Board's response  to the  preliminary audit                                                               
report recommendations that  the Board was willing  to making the                                                               
regulatory changes,  she was unaware  of whether the  changes had                                                               
been made.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  requested a response  from the Board as  to the                                                               
status of the regulatory changes.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:07:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RICK  URION, Director,  Division of  Corporations, Business,  and                                                               
Professional  Licensing, Department  of  Commerce, Community  and                                                               
Economic Development,  testified in support of  this legislation.                                                               
He  informed  that  the  Board  had  taken  necessary  action  in                                                               
amending regulations.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:07:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Dyson asked  the estimated date that  the new regulations                                                               
would be in effect.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:07:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Urion responded that the  proposed regulations were currently                                                               
before the Department of Law for review.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:07:51 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  ascertained  that  no  further  testimony  was                                                               
forthcoming  and  that  Members  had no  additional  comments  or                                                               
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:08:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  offered  a  motion to  report  the  bill,  24-                                                               
LS0584\A,  from  Committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
updated fiscal note.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Without objection  SB 85 was  REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE with  a new                                                               
fiscal note dated 3/27/07 from the Senate Finance Committee.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE 9:09:01 AM / 9:09:24 AM