An Act to Change the Professional Title and Identification of
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1166
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: CLOUTIER, STEWART, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 32 MRSA §2594-E, 32 MRSA §3270-E

Legislative Document
No. 1166
H.P. 771
House of Representatives, March 20, 2025
An Act to Change the Professional Title and Identification of 
Physician Assistants to Physician Associates
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CLOUTIER of Lewiston.
Cosponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook and
Representatives: CRAFTS of Newcastle, GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, MASTRACCIO 
of Sanford, MEYER of Eliot, MORRIS of Turner, Senators: BAILEY of York, President 
DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, RENY of Lincoln.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §2594-E, as amended by PL 2023, c. 132, §3, is further amended 
to read:
§2594-E.  Licensure of physician assistants associates
1.  License required.  A physician assistant associate may not render medical services 
until the physician assistant associate has applied for and obtained from either the Board of 
Osteopathic Licensure or the Board of Licensure in Medicine:
A.  A license, which must be renewed biennially with the board that issued the initial 
license.
An application for licensure as a physician assistant associate must be submitted to either 
the Board of Osteopathic Licensure or the Board of Licensure in Medicine.  A license 
granted by either the Board of Osteopathic Licensure or the Board of Licensure in Medicine 
authorizes the physician assistant associate to render medical services.
2.  Qualification for licensure.  The board may issue to an individual a license to 
practice as a physician assistant associate under the following conditions:
A.  A license may be issued to an individual who:
(1)  Graduated from a Has successfully completed an educational program for 
physician assistant program approved by the board assistants or physician 
associates accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for 
the Physician Assistant or its successor organization or, prior to 2001, by the 
Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation or the Commission on 
Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs;
(2)  Passed a physician assistant national certifying examination administered by 
the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or its successor 
organization;
(3)  Demonstrates current clinical competency;
(4)  Does not have a license or certificate of registration that is the subject of 
disciplinary action such as probation, restriction, suspension, revocation or 
surrender;
(5)  Completes an application approved by the board;
(6)  Pays an application fee of up to $300; and
(7)  Passes an examination approved by the board; and
B.  No grounds exist as set forth in section 2591‑A to deny the application.
4.  Delegation by physician assistant associate.  A physician assistant associate may 
delegate to the physician assistant's associate's employees or support staff or members of a 
health care team, including medical assistants, certain activities relating to medical care 
and treatment carried out by custom and usage when the activities are under the control of 
the physician assistant associate; the activities being delegated do not, unless otherwise 
provided by law, require a license, registration or certification to perform; the physician 
assistant associate ensures that the employees or support staff or members of a health care 
team have the appropriate training, education and experience to perform these delegated 
activities; and the physician assistant associate ensures that the employees or support staff 
perform these delegated activities competently and safely. The physician assistant associate 
who delegates an activity permitted under this subsection is legally liable for the activity 
performed by an employee, a medical assistant, support staff or a member of a health care 
team.
5.  Rules.  The Board of Osteopathic Licensure is authorized to adopt rules regarding 
the licensure and practice of physician assistants associates. These rules, which must be 
adopted jointly with the Board of Licensure in Medicine, may pertain to, but are not limited 
to, the following matters:
A.  Information to be contained in the application for a license;
C.  Education requirements for the physician assistant associate;
E.  Requirements for collaborative agreements and practice agreements under section 
2594‑F, including uniform standards and forms;
F.  Requirements for a physician assistant associate to notify the board regarding 
certain circumstances, including but not limited to any change in address, the 
permanent departure of the physician assistant associate from the State, any criminal 
convictions of the physician assistant associate and any discipline by other jurisdictions 
of the physician assistant associate;
G.  Issuance of temporary physician assistant associate licenses;
H.  Appointment of an advisory committee for continuing review of the physician 
assistant associate rules. The physician assistant associate members of the board 
pursuant to section 2561 must be members of the advisory committee;
I.  Continuing education requirements as a precondition to continued licensure or 
licensure renewal;
J.  Fees for the application for an initial physician assistant associate license, which 
may not exceed $300; and
M.  Fees for the biennial renewal of a physician assistant associate license in an amount 
not to exceed $250.
6.  Title and practice protection.  A person who is not licensed under this section may 
not hold that person out to be a physician associate or use the title or designation "physician 
associate" or the abbreviation "P.A." or any other title, designation, words, letters or device 
tending to indicate that that person is licensed under this section, except that a person who 
meets the qualifications for licensure under subsection 2 but does not possess a current 
license may use the title or designation "physician associate" or the abbreviation "P.A." but 
may not practice as a physician associate.
A violation of this subsection is a Class E crime.
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §3270-E, as amended by PL 2023, c. 132, §5, is further amended 
to read:
§3270-E.  Licensure of physician assistants associates
1.  License required.  A physician assistant associate may not render medical services 
until the physician assistant associate has applied for and obtained from either the Board of 
Licensure in Medicine or the Board of Osteopathic Licensure:
A.  A license, which must be renewed biennially with the board that issued the initial 
license.
An application for licensure as a physician assistant associate must be submitted to either 
the Board of Osteopathic Licensure or the Board of Licensure in Medicine.  A license 
granted by either the Board of Osteopathic Licensure or the Board of Licensure in Medicine 
authorizes the physician assistant associate to render medical services.
2.  Qualification for licensure.  The board may issue to an individual a license to 
practice as a physician assistant associate under the following conditions:
A.  A license may be issued to an individual who:
(1)  Graduated from a Has successfully completed an educational program for 
physician assistant program approved by the board assistants or physician 
associates accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for 
the Physician Assistant or its successor organization or, prior to 2001, by the 
Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation or the Commission on 
Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs;
(2)  Passed a physician assistant national certifying examination administered by 
the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or its successor 
organization;
(3)  Demonstrates current clinical competency;
(4)  Does not have a license or certificate of registration that is the subject of 
disciplinary action such as probation, restriction, suspension, revocation or 
surrender;
(5)  Completes an application approved by the board;
(6)  Pays an application fee of up to $300; and
(7)  Passes an examination approved by the board; and
B.  No grounds exist as set forth in section 3282‑A to deny the application.
4.  Delegation by physician assistant associate.  A physician assistant associate may 
delegate to the physician assistant's associate's employees or support staff or members of a 
health care team, including medical assistants, certain activities relating to medical care 
and treatment carried out by custom and usage when the activities are under the control of 
the physician assistant associate; the activities being delegated do not, unless otherwise 
provided by law, require a license, registration or certification to perform; the physician 
assistant associate ensures that the employees or support staff or members of a health care 
team have the appropriate training, education and experience to perform these delegated 
activities; and the physician assistant associate ensures that the employees or support staff 
perform these delegated activities competently and safely. The physician assistant associate 
who delegates an activity permitted under this subsection is legally liable for the activity 
performed by an employee, a medical assistant, support staff or a member of a health care 
team.
5.  Rules.  The Board of Licensure in Medicine is authorized to adopt rules regarding 
the licensure and practice of physician assistants associates. These rules, which must be 
adopted jointly with the Board of Osteopathic Licensure, may pertain to, but are not limited 
to, the following matters:
A.  Information to be contained in the application for a license;
C.  Education requirements for the physician assistant associate;
E.  Requirements for collaborative agreements and practice agreements under section 
3270‑G, including uniform standards and forms;
F.  Requirements for a physician assistant associate to notify the board regarding 
certain circumstances, including but not limited to any change in address, the 
permanent departure of the physician assistant associate from the State, any criminal 
convictions of the physician assistant associate and any discipline by other jurisdictions 
of the physician assistant associate;
G.  Issuance of temporary physician assistant associate licenses;
H.  Appointment of an advisory committee for continuing review of the physician 
assistant associate rules. The physician assistant associate members of the board 
pursuant to section 3263 must be members of the advisory committee;
I.  Continuing education requirements as a precondition to continued licensure or 
licensure renewal;
J.  Fees for the application for an initial physician assistant associate license, which 
may not exceed $300; and
M.  Fees for the biennial renewal of a physician assistant associate license in an amount 
not to exceed $250.
6.  Title and practice protection.  A person who is not licensed under this section may 
not hold that person out to be a physician associate or use the title or designation "physician 
associate" or the abbreviation "P.A." or any other title, designation, words, letters or device 
tending to indicate that that person is licensed under this section, except that a person who 
meets the qualifications for licensure under subsection 2 but does not possess a current 
license may use the title or designation "physician associate" or the abbreviation "P.A." but 
may not practice as a physician associate.
A violation of this subsection is a Class E crime.
Sec. 3.  Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause.  Wherever in the 
Maine Revised Statutes the words "physician assistant" appear or reference is made to those 
words, those words are amended to read "physician associate" and the Revisor of Statutes 
shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes, except 
that the words "physician assistant" are not amended when referring to the Accreditation 
Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant or the National Commission 
on Certification of Physician Assistants and where the words "physician assistant" appear 
in Title 32, section 2594-E, subsection 2, paragraph A and Title 32, section 3270-E, 
subsection 2, paragraph A as amended by this Act.
Sec. 4.  Scope of practice.  This Act may not be interpreted to expand the scope of 
practice of a physician associate beyond the current scope of practice for a physician 
assistant in the Maine Revised Statutes and rules of the Board of Licensure in Medicine 
pursuant to Title 32, chapter 48 and the Board of Osteopathic Licensure pursuant to Title 
32, chapter 36.
SUMMARY
This bill changes the professional title and identification of physician assistants to 
physician associates, with no change to the scope of practice of those professionals.