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 accordance with written protocols from the Department of Health Services (DHS), will be considered state agents for legal purposes. This designation provides them with legal protections, such as having any judgments against them in actions related to their services covered by DHS. The bill also allows these professionals to supervise immunization programs and issue orders for immunizations, further extending their role in public health initiatives.

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, and the clarification of their status as agents of DHS in various legal contexts. The title of section 251.07 has been changed to reflect this broader definition, and new definitions for "advanced practice nurse prescriber" and "physician assistant" have been created. Additionally, the bill modifies existing statutes to ensure that these healthcare providers are recognized as agents of the department when providing services without compensation, thereby enhancing their ability to contribute to public health efforts.

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