(1) There is hereby created the Physician Assistant Committee which shall review and make recommendations to the board regarding all matters relating to physician assistants that come before the board. Such matters shall include, but not be limited to, (a) applications for licensure, (b) physician assistant education, (c) scope of practice, (d) proceedings arising pursuant to sections 38-178 and 38-179, (e) physician assistant licensure requirements, and (f) continuing competency. The committee shall be directly responsible to the board.

(2) The committee shall be appointed by the State Board of Health. The committee shall be composed of two physician assistants, one supervising physician, one member of the Board of Medicine and Surgery who shall be a nonvoting member of the committee, and one public member. The chairperson of the committee shall be elected by a majority vote of the committee members.

(3) At the expiration of the four-year terms of the members serving on December 1, 2008, appointments shall be for five-year terms. Members shall serve no more than two consecutive full five-year terms. Reappointments shall be made by the State Board of Health.

(4) The committee shall meet on a regular basis and committee members shall, in addition to necessary traveling and lodging expenses, receive a per diem for each day actually engaged in the discharge of his or her duties, including compensation for the time spent in traveling to and from the place of conducting business. Traveling and lodging expenses shall be reimbursed on the same basis as provided in sections 81-1174 to 81-1177. The compensation shall not exceed fifty dollars per day and shall be determined by the committee with the approval of the department.