PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS: Provides relative to physician assistants

HLS 26RS-1520 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1143
BY REPRESENTATIVE MILLER
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS: Provides relative to physician assistants
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:1270.1(A), (B)(2), (3)(introductory paragraph), (b), and (d),
3 and (C), 1360.21, 1360.22(1) and (5) through (9), 1360.23(A), (B), (D), (G), and (I),
4 1360.24(A)(introductory paragraph), (3) through (5), (B), and (C), 1360.26,
5 1360.27(A)(introductory paragraph) and (B), 1360.28 through 1360.30, 1360.31(A),
6 (B), (C)(1),(2)(a)(i) and (b), (3), and (4), 1360.32, 1360.33(introductory paragraph),
7 (5), and (6), 1360.34(introductory paragraph), (4), and (5), 1360.35, 1360.36, and
8 1360.38(A)(introductory paragraph), (2), (3), and (4), relative to physician assistants
9 and changing the name of their position; to change references from physician
10 assistant to physician associate; to make technical changes; to provide for the
11 physician assistant advisory committee; to provide for legislative intent; to provide
12 for definitions; to provide for the powers and duties of the board; to provide for
13 licensure requirements, inactive licenses, and license renewal; and to provide for
14 related matters.
15 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
16 Section 1. R.S. 37:1270.1(A), (B)(2), (3)(introductory paragraph), (b), and (d), and
17 (C), 1360.21, 1360.22(1) and (5) through (9), 1360.23(A), (B), (D), (G), and (I),
18 1360.24(A)(introductory paragraph), (3) through (5), (B), and (C), 1360.26,
19 1360.27(A)(introductory paragraph) and (B), 1360.28 through 1360.30, 1360.31(A), (B),
20 (C)(1),(2)(a)(i) and (b), (3), and (4), 1360.32, 1360.33(introductory paragraph), (5), and (6),
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1 1360.34(introductory paragraph), (4), and (5), 1360.35, 1360.36, and
2 1360.38(A)(introductory paragraph), (2), (3), and (4) are hereby amended and reenacted to
3 read as follows:
4 §1270.1. Physician assistants associate advisory committee
5 A. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners Physician Assistants
6 Associates Advisory Committee is hereby created within the Louisiana Department
7 of Health.
8 B.
9 * * *
10 (2) Three members of the committee shall be licensed physician assistants
11 associates. The physician assistant associate members of the advisory committee
12 shall be appointed by the governor from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana
13 Academy of Physician Assistants. At least one of the members of the advisory
14 committee shall be a physician assistant associate practicing in a parish or
15 municipality with a population of less than twenty thousand people.
16 (3) Each physician assistant associate member of the advisory committee
17 shall:
18 * * *
19 (b) Hold a current Louisiana license to practice as a physician assistant
20 associate.
21 * * *
22 (d) Be actively engaged in practice as a physician assistant associate at the
23 time of appointment.
24 * * *
25 C. The duties and purpose of the advisory committee shall be to advise the
26 Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners on all matters specifically dealing with
27 licensing or disciplining of physician assistants associate or the drafting and
28 promulgating of regulations related to physician assistants associates. The advisory
29 committee shall also review and make recommendations to the board on applications
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1 for licensure as physician assistants associates. The board shall not act on any matter
2 relating to a physician assistant associate without first consulting with the advisory
3 committee.
4 * * *
5 §1360.21. Legislative intent
6 A. Shortages of all skilled health personnel, particularly in rural and urban
7 medically underserved areas and in the field of primary care medicine, new scientific
8 and technological developments, and new methods of organizing health services
9 have made the question of new uses for allied health personnel the critical issue to
10 be resolved if our supply of health manpower is to be used effectively and
11 productively. In its concern with the growing shortage and geographic
12 maldistribution of healthcare services in Louisiana, the rising cost of health care
13 healthcare services in the state and nationally, and the need for primary health care
14 healthcare by thousands of Louisiana citizens, the legislature intends to modernize
15 the laws governing physician assistant associate practice.
16 B. Physician assistants associates are health care healthcare professionals
17 qualified by academic and clinical education and licensed by the Louisiana State
18 Board of Medical Examiners to provide health care healthcare services at the
19 direction and under the supervision of a physician or a group of physicians approved
20 by the board as a supervising physician.
21 C. It is the intent of this Part to permit the more effective utilization of the
22 skills of physicians, particularly in the primary care setting, by enabling them to
23 delegate medical services to qualified physician assistants associates when such
24 delegation is consistent with the patient's health and welfare.
25 D. It is the intent of this Part to encourage and permit the utilization of
26 physician assistants associates by physicians and assist in the development of the
27 physician assistant associate profession and allow for innovative developments of
28 programs for the education of physician assistants associates. It is also the purpose
29 of this Part to provide for a system of licensing physician assistants and regulating
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1 their relationship with supervising physicians so that a high quality of service is
2 assured.
3 §1360.22. Definitions
4 As used in this Part:
5 (1) "Approved program" means a program for the education and training of
6 physician assistants associates which has been formally approved by the Committee
7 on Allied Health Education and Accreditation, its predecessors, or its successors.
8 * * *
9 (5) "Physician assistant associate" means a health professional qualified by
10 academic and clinical education and licensed by the Louisiana State Board of
11 Medical Examiners to provide health care healthcare services at the direction and
12 under the supervision of a physician or a group of physicians approved by the board
13 as a supervising physician.
14 (6) "Physician assistant associate-certified (PA-C)" means a physician
15 assistant who is currently certified by the National Commission on the Certification
16 of Physicians' Assistants or its successors.
17 (7) "Supervising physician" means a physician who has been approved by
18 the board to supervise a physician assistant associate.
19 (8) "Supervision" means responsible direction and control, with the
20 supervising physician assuming legal liability for the services rendered by the
21 physician assistant associate in the course and scope of the physician assistant's
22 associate's employment. Such supervision shall not be construed in every case to
23 require the physical presence of the supervising physician. However, the supervising
24 physician and physician assistant associate must have the capability to be in contact
25 with each other by either telephone or other telecommunications device. Supervision
26 shall exist when the supervising physician responsible for the patient gives informed
27 concurrence of the action of a physician assistant associate, whether given prior to
28 or after the action, and when a medical treatment plan or action is made in
29 accordance with written clinical practice guidelines or protocols set forth by the
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1 supervising physician. The level and method of supervision shall be at the physician
2 and physician assistant associate level, shall be documented and reviewed annually,
3 and shall reflect the acuity of the patient care and nature of the procedure.
4 (9) "Trainee" means a person who is currently enrolled in an approved
5 physician assistant associate program.
6 §1360.23. Powers and duties of the board
7 A. The board shall have and exercise all powers and duties previously
8 granted to it, subject to the provisions of Title 36 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes
9 of 1950. The powers and authority granted to the board by this Part shall be subject
10 to the provisions of Title 36 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, and
11 particularly R.S. 36:259(A) and 803. Except as otherwise provided by this Part, the
12 board shall also have the power, in consultation with the Physician Assistants
13 Associates Advisory Committee, to make rules and regulations pertaining to the
14 approval and regulation of physician assistants and the approval and regulation of
15 physicians applying to become supervising physicians.
16 B. The board shall have the authority to may approve or reject an application
17 for licensure as a physician assistant associate. Licensure shall be valid for no more
18 than one year but may be renewed annually.
19 * * *
20 D. The board shall make and enforce orders, rules, and regulations for the
21 revocation or suspension of approval of licensure to act as a physician assistant
22 associate, and for the revocation and suspension of approval of supervising
23 physicians.
24 * * *
25 G. A physician, approved by the board as a supervising physician, practicing
26 in a private practice, group practice, partnership, professional medical corporation,
27 or employed by a hospital or other health care healthcare organization or entity may
28 be the primary supervising physician for up to eight physician assistants associates.
29 Physician assistants associates may be employed by a group practice or partnership
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1 of physicians or a professional medical corporation duly qualified under R.S. 12:901
2 et seq., as amended, or a hospital or other health care healthcare organization or
3 entity, as long as such physician assistants associates are being supervised by a
4 qualified supervising physician.
5 * * *
6 I. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Part to the contrary, any
7 person who before and on June 16, 1993, is currently practicing as a physician
8 assistant associate under supervision of a licensed physician shall be licensed as a
9 physician assistant associate.
10 §1360.24. Licensure
11 A. Except as otherwise provided for in this Part, an individual shall be
12 licensed by the board before he may practice as a physician assistant associate. The
13 board may grant a license to a physician assistant associate applicant who:
14 * * *
15 (3) Has successfully completed an education program for physician
16 assistants associates accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and
17 Accreditation, its predecessors, or its successors and who has passed the physician
18 assistant associate national certifying examination administered by the National
19 Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
20 (4) Certifies that he is mentally and physically able to engage in practice as
21 a physician assistant associate.
22 (5) Has no licensure, certification, or registration as a physician assistant in
23 any jurisdiction under current discipline, revocation, suspension, or probation for
24 cause resulting from the applicant's practice as a physician assistant associate, unless
25 the board considers such condition and agrees to licensure.
26 * * *
27 B. A personal interview of a physician assistant associate applicant shall be
28 required only in those cases where the applicant is making his first application before
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1 the board and where discrepancies exist in the application or the applicant has been
2 subject to prior adverse licensure, certification, or registration action.
3 C. The board may grant a working permit, which is valid for one year but
4 may be renewed by one additional year, to a physician assistant associate applicant
5 who meets the qualifications for licensure except that the applicant has not yet taken
6 the national certifying examination or the applicant has taken the national certifying
7 examination and is awaiting the results.
8 * * *
9 .§1360.26. Inactive license
10 Any physician assistant associate who notifies the board in writing on forms
11 prescribed by the board may elect to place his licensure on an inactive status. A
12 physician assistant associate with an inactive status license shall be excused from
13 payment of renewal fees and shall not practice as a physician assistant associate.
14 Any licensee who engages in practice while his license is lapsed or on inactive status
15 shall be considered to be practicing without a license, which shall be grounds for
16 discipline pursuant to R.S. 37:1360.34. A physician assistant associate requesting
17 restoration to active status from inactive status shall be required to pay the current
18 renewal fees and shall be required to meet the criteria for renewal as provided for in
19 R.S. 37:1360.27.
20 §1360.27. Renewal
21 A. Each person who holds a license as a physician assistant associate in this
22 state shall, upon notification from the board, renew said the license by:
23 * * *
24 B. A physician assistant associate seeking licensure renewal will not be
25 required to make a personal appearance before the board, unless the assistant
26 associate is currently engaged in a licensure revocation or discipline proceeding.
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1 §1360.28. Supervision of physician assistants associates
2 A. Supervision of a physician assistant associate shall be continuous but
3 shall not be construed as necessarily requiring the physical presence of the
4 supervising physician at the time and place that the services are rendered.
5 B. It is the obligation and responsibility of each supervising physician and
6 physician assistant associate to ensure:
7 (1) That the physician assistant's associate's scope of practice is identified.
8 (2) That delegation of medical tasks and authority is appropriate to the
9 physician assistant's associate's level of competence.
10 (3) That the relationship of, and access to, the supervising physician is
11 defined.
12 (4) That a process for evaluation of the physician assistant's associate's
13 performance is established.
14 §1360.29. Supervising physician qualifications and registration
15 A. A physician supervising a physician assistant associate shall:
16 (1) Be licensed and in good standing in this state.
17 (2) Notify the board of his intent to supervise a physician assistant associate.
18 (3) Submit a statement to the board that he will exercise supervision over the
19 physician assistant associate in accordance with any rules and regulations adopted
20 by the board and that he will retain professional and legal responsibility for the care
21 rendered by the physician assistant associate.
22 (4) Maintain a written agreement with the physician assistant associate in
23 compliance with R.S. 37:1360.22(8) that includes a statement that the physician shall
24 exercise supervision over the physician assistant associate in accordance with this
25 Part. The agreement shall be signed by the supervising physician and physician
26 assistant associate, updated annually, kept on file at the practice site, and available
27 to the board upon request.
28 B. Physicians seeking to supervise a physician assistant associate shall be
29 required to appear before the board upon their first application and notification to the
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1 board of their intention to supervise a physician assistant associate when the board
2 finds discrepancies in the physician's application or when the physician is currently
3 or has been previously subject to adverse licensure, certification, or registration
4 actions.
5 §1360.30. Notification of intent to practice
6 A. A physician assistant associate licensed in this state, prior to initiating
7 practice, shall submit, on forms approved by the board, notification of such intent to
8 practice. Such notification shall include:
9 (1) The name, business address, and telephone number of the supervising
10 physician.
11 (2) The name, business address, and telephone number of the physician
12 assistant associate.
13 B. A physician assistant associate shall notify the board of any changes in
14 or additions to his supervising physicians within thirty days of the date of such
15 change or addition.
16 §1360.31. Services performed by physician assistants associates
17 A.(1) A physician assistant associate performs medical services when such
18 services are rendered under the supervision of a supervising physician. A physician
19 assistant associate may perform those duties and responsibilities that are delegated
20 to him by his supervising physician. A physician assistant associate is considered
21 to be and is deemed the agent of his supervising physician in the performance of all
22 practice-related activities, including but not limited to assisting in surgery and the
23 ordering and interpretation of diagnostic and other medical services. The level and
24 method of supervision shall be at the physician and physician assistant associate
25 level, shall be documented and reviewed annually, and shall reflect the acuity of the
26 patient care and the nature of a procedure. A physician assistant associate shall not
27 practice without supervision except in life-threatening emergencies and in
28 emergency situations such as man-made and natural disaster relief efforts.
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1 (2) A physician assistant associate may inject local anesthetic agents
2 subcutaneously, including digital blocks or apply topical anesthetic agents when
3 delegated to do so by a supervising physician. However, nothing in this Part shall
4 otherwise permit a physician assistant associate to administer local anesthetics
5 perineurally, pericurally, epidurally, intrathecally, or intravenously unless such
6 physician assistant is a certified registered nurse anesthetist and meets the
7 requirements in R.S. 37:930.
8 B. The practice of a physician assistant associate shall include includes the
9 performance of medical services within the scope of his education, training, and
10 experience, which are delegated by the supervising physician.
11 C.(1) A physician assistant associate may prescribe, order, and administer
12 drugs to the extent delegated by the supervising physician except as provided
13 pursuant to R.S. 37:930 relative to anesthetics. Drugs which may be prescribed,
14 ordered, and administered by a physician assistant associate or a health care
15 healthcare professional licensed pursuant to Chapter 12 of this Title are those listed
16 in Schedules II, III, IV, and V of R.S. 40:964 and legend drugs, which are defined
17 as any drug or drug product bearing on the label of the manufacturer or distributor,
18 as required by the Food and Drug Administration, the statement "Caution: Federal
19 law prohibits dispensing without a prescription". A physician assistant associate
20 authorized to prescribe controlled substances shall register with the United States
21 Drug Enforcement Administration.
22 (2)(a) A physician assistant associate shall meet all of the following
23 qualifications to be eligible to apply for prescriptive authority:
24 (i) Have completed a minimum of five hundred clinical training hours prior
25 to graduation from an approved physician assistant associate educational program.
26 * * *
27 (b) The board shall not impose any qualifications for a physician assistant's
28 associate prescriptive authority, in addition to those set forth in this Paragraph,
29 through administrative rulemaking.
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1 (3) A physician assistant associate may request, receive, and sign for sample
2 drugs and may distribute sample drugs to a patient.
3 (4) A physician assistant associate may provide medication-assisted
4 treatment (MAT), as authorized by the United States Department of Health and
5 Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and
6 in accordance with rules promulgated by the board. At a minimum, rules
7 promulgated by the board shall include a requirement that in order for the physician
8 assistant associate to provide MAT, his supervising physician shall also be
9 authorized and in compliance with all federal and state laws and rules authorizing the
10 provision of MAT. For purposes of this Paragraph, "MAT" means the use of
11 medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders
12 and prevent opioid overdose.
13 * * *
14 §1360.32. Assumption of professional liability
15 When a physician assistant associate is supervised by a physician or group
16 practice of physicians or a professional medical corporation or a hospital or other
17 health care healthcare organization or entity, the physician assistant associate shall
18 be supervised by and be the legal responsibility of the supervising physician or group
19 practice or professional medical corporation or other hospital or other health care
20 healthcare organization or entity and the supervising physician. The legal
21 responsibility for the physician assistant's associate's patient care activities,
22 including care and treatment that is provided in health care healthcare facilities, shall
23 remain that of the supervising physician, group practice of physicians, or a
24 professional medical corporation or a hospital or other health care healthcare
25 organization or entity.
26 §1360.33. Violations
27 The board may, exercising due process, discipline any physician assistant
28 associate, as provided in R.S. 37:1360.34, who:
29 * * *
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1 (5) Is a habitual user of intoxicants or drugs to such an extent that he is
2 unable to safely perform as a physician assistant associate.
3 (6) Has been adjudicated as mentally incompetent or has a mental condition
4 that renders him unable to safely perform as a physician assistant associate.
5 * * *
6 §1360.34. Disciplinary authority
7 The board, upon finding that a physician assistant associate has committed
8 any offense described in R.S. 37:1360.33, may:
9 * * *
10 (4) Require a physician assistant associate to submit to the care, counseling,
11 or treatment of a physician or physicians designated by the board.
12 (5) Place the physician assistant associate on probation with the right to
13 vacate the probationary order for noncompliance.
14 * * *
15 §1360.35. Title and practice protection
16 A. Any person not licensed under in accordance with this Part is guilty of a
17 misdemeanor and is subject to penalties applicable to the unlicensed practice of
18 medicine if he:
19 (1) Holds himself out as a physician assistant associate.
20 (2) Uses any combination or abbreviation of the term "physician assistant
21 associate" to indicate that he is a physician assistant associate.
22 (3) Acts as a physician assistant associate without being licensed by the
23 board.
24 B. An unlicensed physician shall not be permitted to use the title of
25 "physician assistant associate" or to practice as a physician assistant associate unless
26 he fulfills the requirements of this Part.
27 C. Only a physician assistant associate licensed under pursuant to this Part
28 who has met the current certification requirements of the National Commission on
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1 the Certification of Physicians' Assistants and its successors shall be entitled to use
2 the designation "PA-C" before or after his name or as any title, thereof.
3 §1360.36. Identification requirements
4 A physician assistant associate licensed under pursuant to this Part shall keep
5 his license available for inspection at his primary place of employment and shall,
6 when engaged in his professional activities, wear a name tag identifying himself as
7 a "physician assistant associate".
8 * * *
9 §1360.38. Exemptions
10 A. The provisions of this Part shall do not apply to:
11 * * *
12 (2) A physician assistant associate administering medical services in cases
13 of emergency.
14 (3) A physician assistant associate student enrolled in a physician assistant
15 associate educational program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission
16 on Education for the Physician Assistant.
17 (4) A physician assistant associate employed by the federal government
18 while performing duties incidental to that employment.
19 * * *
20 Section 2. The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby authorized and requested to
21 change all references in the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 from physician assistant to
22 physician associate.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1143 Original 2026 Regular Session Miller
Abstract: Provides relative to physician assistants and changing the name of their position.
Proposed law does not make substantive changes to present law.
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Proposed law changes the term "physician assistant" to "physician associate" except when
describing the National Commission on the Certification of Physicians' Assistants.
(Amends R.S. 37:1270.1(A), (B)(2), (3), (intro. para), (b), and (d), and (C), 1360.21,
1360.22(1) and (5)-(9), 1360.23(A), (B), (D), (G), and (I), 1360.24(A)(intro. para), (3)-(5),
(B) and (C), 1360.26, 1360.27(A)(intro. para) and (B), 1360.28-1360.30, 1360.31(A), (B),
(C)(1), (2)(a)(i) and (b), (3), and (4), 1360.32, 1360.33(intro. para), (5) and (6),
1360.34(intro. para), (4) and (5), 1360.35, 1360.36, and 1360.38(A)(intro. para), (2), (3), and
(4))
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