SB 385: Physician Assistant Practice Act: abortion by aspiration: training.

The Physician Assistant Practice Act establishes the Physician Assistant Board to license and regulate physician assistants. Existing law makes it a crime to perform an abortion without holding a license to practice as a physician and surgeon or without holding a specified license or certificate under the Physician Assistant Practice Act that authorizes the holder to perform specified functions necessary for an abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. The act requires a physician assistant to complete training and comply with certain protocols, as specified, to receive authority from the physician assistants supervising physician and surgeon to perform an abortion by aspiration techniques.

This bill would revise the training requirements to instead require a physician assistant to achieve clinical competency by successfully completing requisite training, as described, in performing an abortion by aspiration techniques. The bill would set forth what types of training qualify. The bill would remove the requirement that a physician assistant follow certain protocols to receive authority from the physician assistants supervising physician and surgeon to perform an abortion by aspiration techniques.

This bill would authorize a physician assistant who has completed the training and achieved clinical competency, as described, to perform abortions by aspirations techniques without the personal presence of a supervising physician and surgeon, except as provided. The bill would require a physician assistant to practice abortion by aspiration techniques consistent with applicable standards of care, within the scope of their clinical and professional education and training, and pursuant to their practice agreement. The bill would provide that specified persons authorized to perform abortion by aspiration techniques shall not be punished, held liable for damages in a civil action, or denied any right or privilege for any action relating to the evaluation of clinical competency of a physician assistant, as described. The bill would make other technical changes.