The bill introduced on March 3, 2025, aims to amend the Code of West Virginia concerning the practice of physician assistants and certified nurse practitioners, significantly enhancing their autonomy. A key change is the repeal of the requirement for physician assistants to practice under the supervision of a collaborating physician, as indicated by the deletion of terms like "collaborating physician" and "collaboration." The bill also includes an insertion that prohibits the boards from proposing any rules that would restrict physician assistants from practicing independently. This shift allows qualified physician assistants to perform medical acts based on their education and training without oversight, thereby expanding their scope of practice.

In addition to the changes for physician assistants, the bill modifies regulations for certified nurse practitioners (CNPs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). It specifies that CNPs can prescribe medications without a collaborative agreement, while APRNs, other than CNPs, may still require such agreements under certain conditions. The bill also revises the composition of the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses and establishes a special volunteer license for retired practitioners. Overall, the legislation seeks to improve access to healthcare services for underserved populations by empowering qualified healthcare providers to operate independently while maintaining necessary safety and regulatory measures.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 30-3E-1, 30-3E-3, 30-3E-4, 30-3E-9, 30-3E-12, 30-3E-13, 30-3E-14, 30-3E-15, 30-3E-16, 30-3E-17, 30-7-1, 30-7-3, 30-7-4, 30-7-6b, 30-7-15, 30-7-15b, 30-3E-10a, 30-3E-11