BILL NUMBER: SB 1393	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  JULY 10, 2008
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  JULY 3, 2008
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 9, 2008
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 9, 2008

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Scott

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2008

   An act to amend Sections 66055.8 and 78261.3 of the Education
Code, relating to nursing programs.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1393, Scott. Nursing programs.
   (1) Existing law provides that a student of a registered nursing
program at a campus of the California State University or California
Community Colleges, who holds a baccalaureate degree from a
regionally accredited institution, may not be required to complete
general education requirements. Instead, the student may only be
required to complete coursework that is necessary for licensing as a
registered nurse.
   This bill would specifically prohibit a campus of the California
State University or California Community Colleges from requiring a
student of a registered nursing program with a baccalaureate degree
from a regionally accredited institution to complete any coursework
other than that which is unique and exclusively required to earn a
nursing degree from that institution.
   (2) Existing law prohibits a community college district from
excluding an applicant to a registered nursing program on the sole
basis that the applicant is not a resident of that district or has
not completed prerequisite courses in that district.
   This bill would instead specify that a district is prohibited from
either excluding an applicant on the basis that the applicant is not
a district resident or has not completed prerequisite courses in
that district, or from implementing policies, procedures, and
systems, including, but not limited to, priority registration
systems, that have the effect of excluding an applicant or student
who is not a resident of that district from a registered nursing
program of that district.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 66055.8 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
   66055.8.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a campus of
the California State University or the California Community Colleges
that operates a registered nursing program shall not require a
student who has been admitted to that registered nursing program and
who has already earned a baccalaureate or higher degree from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education to undertake
any coursework other than the coursework that is unique and
exclusively required to earn a nursing degree from that institution.
  SEC. 2.  Section 78261.3 of the Education Code is amended to read:
   78261.3.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
   (a) Any community college district, irrespective of whether it
participates in the program established by this article, may use any
diagnostic assessment tool that is commonly used in registered
nursing programs and is approved by the chancellor.
   (b) If, after using an approved diagnostic assessment tool, a
community college registered nursing program determines that the
number of applicants to that program exceeds its capacity, the
program is authorized to use additional multicriteria screening
measures. This subdivision does not prohibit or prevent a community
college registered nursing program from using an approved diagnostic
assessment tool before or during a multicriteria screening process.
   (c) A community college district may not do either of the
following:
   (1) Exclude an applicant to a registered nursing program on the
basis that the applicant is not a resident of that district or has
not completed prerequisite courses in that district.
   (2) Implement policies, procedures, and systems, including, but
not limited to, priority registration systems, that have the effect
of excluding an applicant or student who is not a resident of that
district from a registered nursing program of that district.