As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
1. Adverse action. "Adverse action" means any administrative, civil, equitable or criminal action permitted by a state's laws that is imposed by a licensing board or other authority against a physician assistant's license, license application or privilege to practice, such as license denial, censure, revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of the licensee or restriction on the licensee's practice.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
2. Commission. "Commission" means the Physician Assistants Licensure Compact Commission created pursuant to section 18537.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
3. Compact privilege. "Compact privilege" means the authorization granted by a remote state to allow a licensee from another participating state to practice as a physician assistant to provide medical services and other licensed activity to a patient located in the remote state under the remote state's laws and regulations.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
4. Conviction. "Conviction" means a finding by a court that an individual is guilty of a felony or misdemeanor offense through adjudication or entry of a plea of guilty or no contest to the charge by the offender.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
5. Criminal background check. "Criminal background check" means the submission of fingerprints or other biometric-based information for a license applicant for the purpose of obtaining that applicant's criminal history record information, as defined in 28 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 20.3(d), from the state's criminal history record repository, as defined in 28 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 20.3(f).
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
6. Data system. "Data system" means the repository of information about licensees, including, but not limited to, license status and adverse actions, that is created and administered under the terms of the compact.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
7. Executive committee. "Executive committee" means a group of directors and ex officio members elected or appointed pursuant to section 18537, subsection 6.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
8. Investigative information. "Investigative information" means information, records and documents received or generated by a licensing board pursuant to an investigation.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
9. Jurisprudence requirement. "Jurisprudence requirement" means the assessment of an individual's knowledge of the laws and rules governing the practice of a physician assistant in a state.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
10. License. "License" means the current authorization by a state, other than authorization pursuant to a compact privilege, for a physician assistant to provide medical services that would be unlawful without current authorization.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
11. Licensee. "Licensee" means an individual who holds a license from a state to provide medical services as a physician assistant.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
12. Licensing board. "Licensing board" means any state entity authorized to license and otherwise regulate physician assistants.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
13. Medical services. "Medical services" means health care services provided for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, cure or relief of a health condition, injury or disease as defined by a state's laws and regulations.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
14. Model compact. "Model compact" means the model for the Physician Assistants Licensure Compact on file with the Council of State Governments, or its successor organization, or other entity designated by the commission.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
15. Participating state. "Participating state" means a state that has enacted the compact.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
16. Physician assistant. "Physician assistant" means an individual who is licensed as a physician assistant in a state. For purposes of this compact, any other title or status adopted by a state to replace the term "physician assistant" is deemed synonymous with "physician assistant" and confers the same rights and responsibilities to the licensee under the provisions of this compact at the time of its enactment.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
17. Qualifying license. "Qualifying license" means an unrestricted license issued by a participating state to provide medical services as a physician assistant.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
18. Remote state. "Remote state" means a participating state where a licensee who is not licensed as a physician assistant is exercising or seeking to exercise the compact privilege.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
19. Rule. "Rule" means a regulation promulgated by an entity that has the force and effect of law.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
20. Significant investigative information. "Significant investigative information" means investigative information that a licensing board, after an inquiry or investigation that includes notification and an opportunity for the physician assistant to respond if required by state law, has reason to believe is not groundless and, if proven true, would indicate more than a minor infraction.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
21. State. "State" means any state, commonwealth, district or territory of the United States.
[PL 2023, c. 670, §1 (NEW).]
