ROLL CALL

STATEMENT CONCERNING THE ANNUAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MINUTES Approval of the March 11, 2009 Open Board Minutes (on paper only)

MINUTES Approval of the January 15, 2009 Electrology Committee Open Public Minutes

MINUTES Approval of the January 16, 2009 Physicians Assistant Advisory Committee Open Public Minutes

MINUTES Approval of the January 26, 2009 Athletic Training Advisory Committee Minutes

NEW BUSINESS

1. SENATE BILL 26931

Seeks to clarify the definition of "primary care" in Primary Care Physicians and Dentist Loan Redemption Program to include the practice of geriatrics.

2. SENATE BILL 2683

Attached is Senate Bill 2683, introduced by Senator Loretta Weinberg. It seeks to specify public members on the Board of Medical Examiners and require the Board to take certain actions to investigate licensees. The Executive Committee recommended opposing the proposed legislation. As the Board has maintained in the past, it would be bad public policy to legislate specific advocacy groups to a board that is not political, but rather charged with the protection of the public. In many ways, the proposed list was short sighted and in fact, there could be as many as fifty or more other groups with legitimate interests that should be represented. Currently, the three public members as a general member of the population do not have any affiliation with any public group and bring with them whatever background deemed appropriate by the governor at the time of appointment. The Executive Committee noted that the board does not serve as an advocate for any particular group, but strives to work for the protection of the public. It also opposed the mandatory term limits as there is much to be gained with an institutional memory. It does not make sense to have to remove valuable, hard working Board members solely based on term limits.

Additionally, the requirements to take action within thirty days would not afford the Board the opportunity to investigate and gather the materials necessary to make a determination on the standard of care. The same is true about criminal matter which do not resolve within the proposed thirty day time frame.

The requirement of submission of the Affidavit of Merit does not assist the Board. Generally, the Affidavit of Merit contain bare bone allegations and would not provide sufficient information for the Board to determine whether or not further investigation is warranted. A number of cases, after some discover, even with an Affidavit of Merit, are dismissed.

OLD BUSINESS

Nothing Scheduled.

INFORMATIONAL

PUBLIC COMMENT