Bill Text: NH SB285 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to changing the term "physician assistant" to "physician associate."
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-2)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-24 - Introduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Executive Departments and Administration; Senate Journal 3 [SB285 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2025-SB285-Introduced.html
SB 285 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-1075
09/05
SENATE BILL 285
AN ACT relative to changing the term "physician assistant" to "physician associate."
SPONSORS: Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1; Sen. Long, Dist 20; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Rep. Schmidt, Straf. 14; Rep. Edwards, Rock. 31; Rep. Layon, Rock. 13
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill updates the laws to reflect the title change of "physician assistant" to "physician associate" but makes clear that no substantive change to any law is being made by this update.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-1075
09/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to changing the term "physician assistant" to "physician associate."
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Title Change; Physician Associate. Amend the following RSAs by replacing "physician assistant" with "physician associate": 5-C:1, III; 5-C:1, V; 5-C:1, XXIX-a, 5-C:62, I; 5-C:62, II(e); 5-C:62, III(c); 5-C:62, III(e); 5-C:62, IV(d); the introductory paragraph of 5-C:62, V; 5-C:62, V(a); 5-C:62, VI; 5-C:63, I; 5-C:63, IV and V; 5-C:63, VIII; 5-C:64, II and III; 5-C:64, IV(a) through (c); 5-C:64, VI and VII; 5-C:64, XI through XV; 5-C:66, I and II; 5-C:74, I; 5-C:80, III and IV; 5-C:81, II; 5-C:94, II through IV; 5-C:96, I(b); 126-AA:2, III(d)(1) and (3); 126-A:3, III-a(a); 126-A:89, VIII; the introductory paragraph of 126-A:101, I; 126-X:1, VII(a)(3) and (4); the introductory paragraph of 135:21-b; 135:21-b, I; 135-C:2, XII-a; 135-C:36, I(c); 135-C:36, II; 137-J:2, V; 137-J:2, XXI; 137-J:33; 137-L:2, VI and VII; 141-G:2, I; 141-G:8, VIII; 141-G:10, III(a); 141-G:13, I through III; 141-G:19, II(i); 151:12-c, I; 153-A:11, II; the section heading of 153-A:16; 153-A:16, I and II; 167:83, II(q); 170-E:58; 200:32; 200:40-b, I(a)(3); 200-N:1, III(b); 261:88, I(c); 261:88, III; 261:88, V and VI; 290:1; 290:1-a; 313-A:31, II; 318:1, XII-a; 318:42, VII(a) and (c); the introductory paragraph of RSA 318:42, VIII; 318:47-m, I; 318:47-m, III; 318:47-m, VII; the introductory paragraph of RSA 318:52-a; 318:52-c, I; 326-E:1, VII; 326-E:1, X; the introductory paragraph of 326-E:8, I; 328-D:1, I; 328-D:1, II-c; 328-D:1, III; 328-D:2, I through III; the introductory paragraph of 328-D:3, I; 323-D:3-b, I(a) and (b); 328-D:3-b, II(c) and (d); 328-D:3-b, IV; 328-D:3-b, XIII; 328-D:3-b, XVII through XIX; 328-D:10, I(j); 328-D:12; 328-D:13, I and II; 328-D:14; 328-D:15, I through III; 328-D:16, I and II; 328-D:17, I through III; 329:1-c; 329:1-d, III; the introductory paragraph of 329:1-g; 329:13-b, I; 329:13-b, IV(a); 328:13-b, VI; 322-I:1, II(b); 332-L:2, I; the introductory paragraph of 415:18-a, III(a); 415:18-a, IV(b)(9); 415:18-a, V(j); and 464-A:25; I(a)(2) and (6).
2 Title Change; Physician Associates. Amend the following RSAs by replacing "physician assistants" with "physician associates": 137-J:2, V; 141-F:2, IV-b; 153-A:20, XII; 167:4-d, III(f)(1); 294-A:1, VI; 304-A:2, IX; 310:7, VI; 313-A:25, I; 318:8-a; 318:42, II; 318-B:41, I(a)(1); the chapter heading for 328-D; 328-D:2-a, I through III; 328-D:3, I(a); 328-D:3-b, I(a); the introductory paragraph of 328-D:3-b, VII; 328-D:3-b, VIII through XIII; 328-D:3-b, XV through XVII; 328-D:3-b, XIX and XX; 328-D:17, I; 328-D:18; 329:2, I; 329:3; 329:9; XIV; 329:13-b, V(a); 329:21, XIII; 415:18-a, I(a)(9); 415:18-a, III(a)(9); 415-J:3, XII(a); and 516:29-c, VI(a).
3 Title Change; Physician Associate's. Amend the following RSAs by replacing "physician assistant's" with "physician associate's": the introductory paragraph of 5-C:64, IV; 5-C:64, VI; 5-C:64, XI; 5-C:94, V; the introductory paragraph of 135:21-b; 328-D:1, II-a; 328-D:3-b, I(b); 328-D:3-b, II(a) and (b); 328-D:3-b, XX; 328-D:15, I; and 329:13-b, VI.
4 Title Change; Physician Associates'. Amend the following RSA by replacing "physician assistants'" with "physician associates'": 318:14.
5 Title Change; Physician Associate. Amend the following RSAs by replacing "physician's assistant" with "physician associate": 106-L:6, VII; 214:20-l; 265-A:5, I; the introductory paragraph of 265-A:16; 328-G:9, II(e)(1); 507-C:1, II; 507-E:1, II; 508:18, I; and 623:1, I.
6 Title Change; Physician Associates'. Amend the following RSA by replacing "physician's assistants" with "physician associates'": the introductory paragraph of 326-D:2, V.
7 Title Change; January 1, 2027. Amend the following RSA by replacing "physician assistant" with "physician associate": 328-D:3-b, I.
8 Title Change; January 1, 2027. Amend the following RSA by replacing "physician assistants" with "physician associates": 328-D:3-b, I.
9 Physician Associate; Rulemaking. Amend RSA 328-D:10, I(m) to read as follows:
(m) Continuing medical education ("CME") requirements for those physician [assistants] associates that have received their National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants ("NCCPA") certification, but have chosen not to maintain their certification.
10 New Section; Physician Associates; Applicability of Name Change. Amend RSA 328:D by inserting after section 18 the following new section:
328-D:19 Effect of Name Change From Physician Assistant to Physician Associate.
As of the effective date of this section, the title of "physician assistant" in New Hampshire is changed to "physician associate." This change is not intended to change any rights or privileges of those who have been or continue to hold themselves out to be a "physician assistant" and anywhere in the law that says, "physician associate" shall also mean "physician assistant."
I. Sections 7 and 8 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
