BILL ANALYSIS AB 2344 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 5, 2010 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 2344 (Nielsen) - As Introduced: February 19, 2010 Policy Committee: Higher EducationVote: 9-0 Business and Professions 11-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill: 1)Redefines "institution of higher education," for the purposes of Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) approval of schools of nursing, to include community colleges and private postsecondary institutions offering an associate of arts or an associate of science degree. 2)Clarifies that a nursing school that is not an "institution of higher education" may affiliate with an institution of higher education offering either an associate of arts or an associate of science degree to individuals who graduate from the nursing school. FISCAL EFFECT Negligible fiscal impact to the BRN, as the bill's clarification will not measurably impact the board's workload. COMMENTS Purpose . Current law provides for the licensure and regulation of registered nurses by BRN and requires BRN to establish a list of approved nursing schools. According to the author, these statutes are ambiguous as to whether a college that offers an associate of science degree can be approved for a nursing program by BRN. The author argues that this ambiguity led to Cambridge Junior College, a private college accredited by the Accreditation Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, AB 2344 Page 2 being denied feasibility review for a nursing program by BRN because the college offers an associate of sciences degree but not an associate of arts degree. The author states that this bill is intended to clarify that a higher education institution offering an associate of arts and/or an associate of sciences degree, or school affiliated with such an institution that meets with other established requirements, may become approved for nursing schools by BRN. The BRN believes this clarification to existing law is needed. Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081