An Act To Modernize the Statutes Governing Physician Assistants
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0556
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: MASTRACCIO, GRATWICK, DION, HERBIG, KORNFIELD, SANBORN, SIROCKI, VOLK, WINCHENBACH
Amends: 32 MRSA §2561, 32 MRSA §2594-B, 32 MRSA §2594-C, 32 MRSA §3263, 32 MRSA §3270-B

Legislative Document 
No. 556 
H.P. 375 
House of Representatives, February 19, 2013 
An Act To Modernize the Statutes Governing Physician Assistants 
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MASTRACCIO of Sanford. 
Cosponsored by Senator GRATWICK of Penobscot and 
Representatives: DION of Portland, HERBIG of Belfast, KORNFIELD of Bangor, McCABE 
of Skowhegan, SANBORN of Gorham, SIROCKI of Scarborough, VOLK of Scarborough, 
WINCHENBACH of Waldoboro. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §2561, as amended by PL 1997, c. 50, §1, is further amended to 
read: 
§2561.  Membership; qualifications; tenure; vacancies 
The Board of Osteopathic Licensure, as established by Title 5, section 12004-A, 
subsection 29, and in this chapter called the "board," consists of 9 10 members appointed 
by the Governor.  These members Members must be residents of this State.  Six of these 
members must be graduates of a school or college of osteopathic medicine approved by 
the American Osteopathic Association and must be, at the time of appointment, actively 
engaged in the practice of the profession of osteopathic medicine in the State for a period 
of at least 5 years, and 3 of these.  One member must be a physician assistant licensed 
under this chapter who has been actively engaged in that member's profession in this 
State for at least 5 years preceding appointment to the board.  Three members must be 
public members.  Consumer groups may submit nominations to the Governor for the 
members to be appointed to represent the interest of consumers.  A full term of 
appointment is for 5 years.  Appointment of members must comply with section 60.  A 
member of the board may be removed from office for cause by the Governor. 
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §2594-B, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §185, 
is repealed. 
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §2594-B, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4.  Delegation by physician assistant.  A physician assistant may delegate medical 
acts to a medical assistant employed by the physician assistant or by an employer of the 
physician assistant as long as that delegation is permitted in the plan of supervision 
established by the physician assistant and the supervisory physician. 
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §2594-C, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §186, 
is further amended to read: 
1.  Rules authorized. The board may adopt rules, which must be adopted jointly with 
the Board of Licensure in Medicine, dealing with osteopathic physician assistants as are 
necessary to carry out sections 2594-A to 2594-D.  The rules must provide for the 
issuance of a single license regardless of the number of practice sites or supervisory 
physicians. 
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §3263, first ¶, as amended by PL 2007, c. 695, Pt. B, §11, is 
further amended to read: 
The Board of Licensure in Medicine, as established by Title 5, section 12004-A, 
subsection 24, and in this chapter called the "board," consists of 9 10 individuals who are 
residents of this State, appointed by the Governor.  Three individuals must be 
representatives of the public.  Six individuals must be graduates of a legally chartered 
medical college or university having authority to confer degrees in medicine and must 
have been actively engaged in the practice of their profession in this State for a 
continuous period of 5 years preceding their appointments to the board.  One individual 
must be a physician assistant licensed under this chapter who has been actively engaged 
in the practice of that individual's profession in this State for a continuous period of 5 
years preceding appointment to the board.  A full-term appointment is for 6 years.  
Appointment of members must comply with Title 10, section 8009.  A member of the 
board may be removed from office for cause by the Governor. 
Sec. 6.  32 MRSA §3270-B, first ¶, as amended by PL 1997, c. 271, §8, is further 
amended to read: 
A physician assistant is not permitted to practice until the physician assistant has 
applied for and obtained a license issued by the Board of Licensure in Medicine, which 
must be renewed biennially, and a certificate of registration. All applications for 
certificate of registration must be accompanied by an application by the proposed 
supervisory physician that must contain a statement that that physician is responsible for 
all medical activities of the physician assistant.  A physician assistant may delegate 
medical acts to a medical assistant employed by the physician assistant or by an employer 
of the physician assistant as long as that delegation is permitted in the plan of supervision 
established by the physician assistant and the supervisory physician.  The Board of 
Licensure in Medicine is authorized to adopt rules regarding the training and licensure of 
physician assistants and the agency relationship between the physician assistant and the 
supervising physician. Those rules, which must be adopted jointly with the Board of 
Osteopathic Licensure, may pertain, but are not limited, to the following matters: 
Sec. 7.  32 MRSA §3270-B, sub-§6, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, §206, 
is further amended to read: 
6.  Advisory committee appointment. Appointment of an advisory committee for 
continuing review of the physician assistant program and rules.  The physician assistant 
member of the board must be a member of the advisory committee; 
SUMMARY 
This bill accomplishes the following. 
1.  It adds a physician assistant member to the Board of Licensure in Medicine and 
the Board of Osteopathic Licensure, which are the boards that issue licenses to physician 
assistants. 
2.  It permits physician assistants to delegate medical acts to medical assistants as 
long as that delegation is included in the plan of supervision established by the physician 
assistant and the supervising physician. 
3.  It repeals a provision in the laws governing licensing by the Board of Osteopathic 
Licensure that prohibits a physician assistant from employing a supervising physician. 
4.  In order to have one set of rules governing physician assistants and their 
supervising physicians, it requires the Board of Osteopathic Licensure and the Board of 
Licensure in Medicine to do joint rulemaking and requires that the rules provide for the 
issuance of a single license regardless of the number of practice sites or supervisory 
physicians.