BILL NUMBER: AB 2226 CHAPTERED 08/30/04 CHAPTER 344 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 30, 2004 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR AUGUST 27, 2004 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 12, 2004 PASSED THE SENATE JULY 12, 2004 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 17, 2004 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 12, 2004 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Spitzer (Principal coauthor: Senator Speier) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Bates, Houston, and Maze) FEBRUARY 18, 2004 An act to amend Section 2835.5 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to nursing. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2226, Spitzer. Nurse practitioners: qualification requirements. Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensing and regulation of nurse practitioners by the Board of Registered Nursing. Existing law authorizes the board to issue a certificate to use the title "nurse practitioner" to a registered nurse who the board finds qualified. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2008, require an applicant for initial qualification or certification as a nurse practitioner who has never been qualified or certified as a nurse practitioner in California or in any other state to meet specified requirements, including possessing a master's degree in nursing, a master's degree in a clinical field related to nursing, or a graduate degree in nursing, and to have satisfactorily completed a nurse practitioner program approved by the board. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 2835.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 2835.5. (a) A registered nurse who is holding himself or herself out as a nurse practitioner or who desires to hold himself or herself out as a nurse practitioner shall, within the time prescribed by the board and prior to his or her next license renewal or the issuance of an initial license, submit educational, experience, and other credentials and information as the board may require for it to determine that the person qualifies to use the title "nurse practitioner," pursuant to the standards and qualifications established by the board. (b) Upon finding that a person is qualified to hold himself or herself out as a nurse practitioner, the board shall appropriately indicate on the license issued or renewed, that the person is qualified to use the title "nurse practitioner." The board shall also issue to each qualified person a certificate evidencing that the person is qualified to use the title "nurse practitioner." (c) A person who has been found to be qualified by the board to use the title "nurse practitioner" prior to the effective date of this section, shall not be required to submit any further qualifications or information to the board and shall be deemed to have met the requirements of this section. (d) On and after January 1, 2008, an applicant for initial qualification or certification as a nurse practitioner under this article who has not been qualified or certified as a nurse practitioner in California or any other state shall meet the following requirements: (1) Hold a valid and active registered nursing license issued under this chapter. (2) Possess a master's degree in nursing, a master's degree in a clinical field related to nursing, or a graduate degree in nursing. (3) Satisfactorily complete a nurse practitioner program approved by the board.