Senate Bill 31 aims to establish state agency status for certain physician assistants and advanced practice nurse prescribers who provide services without compensation for local health departments or school districts. The bill specifies that these healthcare providers, when acting in this capacity, are considered state agents of the Department of Health Services (DHS) for legal purposes. This includes protections such as having any judgments against them in legal actions related to their services covered by DHS. The bill also allows these professionals to supervise immunization programs and issue orders for immunizations in accordance with DHS protocols, further solidifying their role as state agents when they are not compensated for their services.

Key amendments in the bill include the addition of "physician assistants" and "advanced practice nurse prescribers" to the definition of healthcare providers under section 251.07, replacing the term "physicians." Additionally, new definitions for "advanced practice nurse prescriber" and "physician assistant" are created to clarify their roles. The bill also modifies existing statutes to ensure that these healthcare providers are recognized as agents of DHS when providing services without compensation, thereby enhancing their legal protections and responsibilities in public health initiatives.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 165.25(6)(c), 165.25, 251.07(title), 251.07, 252.04(9), 252.04, 895.46(5)(b), 895.46
Text as Enrolled: 165.25(6)(c), 165.25, 251.07(title), 251.07, 252.04(9), 252.04, 895.46(5)(b), 895.46