GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

SESSION LAW 1999-226
HOUSE BILL 1193

AN ACT AUTHORIZING NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS TO CONDUCT PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1. Article 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 90-18.3. Physical examination by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
(a)	Whenever a statute or State agency rule requires that a physical examination shall be conducted by a physician, the examination may be conducted and the form signed by a nurse practitioner or a physician's assistant, and a physician need not be present.  Nothing in this section shall otherwise change the scope of practice of a nurse practitioner or a physician's assistant, as defined by G.S. 90-18.1 and G.S. 90-18.2, respectively.
(b)	This section shall not apply to physical examinations conducted pursuant to G.S. 1A-1, Rule 35; G.S. 15B-12; G.S. 90-14; or any rules adopted by the North Carolina Boxing Commission requiring physical examinations unless those statutes or rules are amended to make the provisions of this section applicable."
Section 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 1999.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 17th day of June, 1999.

s/	Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate

s/	James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/	James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor

Approved 11:40 a.m. this 25th day of June, 1999