It contains links to the following:

OR State Legislature - Directory for the Oregon state legislature

Local Government - Local Elected Officials from Oregon

Issues and Legislation - Current alerts, bills, votes, more.

Media Guide - Media organizations in Oregon

Congressional Delegation - U.S. senators and representatives from Oregon

Legislative Update

The 2007 Oregon Legislature is up and running as of the 2nd week of January. One of the first resolutions from the Assembly was to finalize the sessions by the end of June and hold a special session in February of 2008. Oregon is looking very closely at the feasibility of holding annual legislative sessions rather than limiting the sessions to every other year. At this time, there are already 550 bills out and more than 2000 bills are expected during this current session.

This year, OSPA is lobbying for comprehensive health care reform, with the overriding goal of improving the health of all Oregonians. The closest I believe we will come to obtaining this goal this year is the Healthy Kid's bill (SB 31, HB 2200, HB 2201). OSPA is again a supporter for increasing the physical education requirements for children (SB 370 - See page 17) These sound like easy concepts but each has a price tag which always creates opposition.

OSPA has been working over the last year to improve the care for injured workers by expanding opportunities for PAs to provide more comprehensive patient care. Through SB 352, we are attempting to be recognized by the Workers Compensation Insurance as prescribers of physical therapy as well as having the authority to release patients to return to work, authorizing time loss and offering light duty.

Other bills that are in the Legislative Council awaiting formal bill review include:

1. Allowing Physician Assistants to sign disability forms for handicap forms for the Oregon Department Fish and Wildlife.
   
2. Placing the definition of an "Agent" in to Oregon statute–it is already in Oregon Administrative Rules with the Board of Medical Examiners.
   
3. Removing a sunset clause which currently mandates insurance reimbursement for rural PAs. If the sunset clause is not removed, the law will expire, and the mandate to reimburse will disappear. We are anxious to remove this clause as well as expand the mandate to include all physician assistants.
   
4. Increasing PA representation on the Physician Assistant Committee of the Board of Medical Examiners from two PAs to four. Currently, the committee is made up of 2 PAs, 2 MDs and a pharmacist. This under-representation of PAs has caused OSPA to look into the feasibility of increasing the PA representation on this important committee.

All four OSPA sponsored bills passed out of committee this AM with no opposition.
Ben Johnson (Grants Pass) and Ted Ruback (Portland) were in attendance and testified on behalf of OSPA. Francine Boullosa (Salem) was also there to lend her support. All three of these individuals deserve our thanks for taking time out of their busy days!
The bills heard were:

• SB 531 –Adds one PA to the PA Committee and clarifies that the BME can license and regulate PAs.
• SB 641 –disabled hunting bill that allows PAs to sign for disabled hunting permits.
• SB 676 –Insurance reimbursement mandate and expansion to all PAs, not only in rural Oregon
• SB 678 –Agent language with amendment per the BME to keep similar language as the rule.

Our fifth bill, Senate Bill 352, is our workers' compensation bill. It has not yet been scheduled. The timing of the hearing one day after our Day at the Capitol (thank you Ben, Mark, Scott, Pat, Nancy, Francine, Robert, Mariana, Sharon, Renee, Nick, Jessica, Amanda, Sunshine, Kevin, Krisi, Jud, and Carly!!!) and after you sent e-mails on to legislators asking for their support could not have been better orchestrated! Truly, you make the difference! Another "Action Alert" will be coming your way –please do take the time to send an e-mail to your legislators– you can affect change in your practice. Congratulations for the success from your hard work. Now on to the Senate floor!!