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Physician assistant licensure compact wins supporter testimony in Rules Committee hearing
Summary
Representative Preston and supporters described House Bill 4,309 as a measure to ease cross‑state practice for physician assistants; witnesses cited workforce and border‑region access benefits. Written support was provided; no committee vote recorded in transcript segment.
Representative Preston testified in favor of House Bill 4,309, which would allow Michigan to join the Physician Assistant (PA) Licensure Compact. Preston described the compact as a tool to "break down barriers, creating more capacity, and giving health care providers the flexibility that they need to move across state lines," and said it could be particularly helpful in rural areas and border communities.
Thad Gormis, executive director for the Michigan Academy of PAs, and other supporters provided testimony and written statements. Gormis and Jody McCollum, a trauma director whose written testimony was submitted, said the compact would help access to specialists across state lines and support care continuity for Michigan residents treated in neighboring states such as Wisconsin. Committee members asked whether joining the compact would require Michigan PAs to follow additional rules; witnesses said no such new rules would be required for Michigan to participate.
The transcript includes several supporting written submissions from the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association (supporting related compacts), the Michigan Academy of Physician Associates and legal counsel for the PA Compact; the Rules Committee segment does not record a roll call or vote on HB 4,309.
