BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session SB 466 (Hill) - Nursing: Board of Registered Nursing ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: April 30, 2015 |Policy Vote: B., P. & E.D. 9 - | | | 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: May 18, 2015 |Consultant: Brendan McCarthy | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: SB 466 would require the Director of Consumer Affairs to appoint a board enforcement monitor to monitor and evaluate the enforcement program under the Board of Registered Nursing. The bill would require changes to the current requirements for crediting nursing education and experience acquired in the military. Fiscal Impact: One-time costs up to $150,000 per year for two years, to contract for an enforcement program monitor (Board of Registered Nursing Fund). One-time costs up to $150,000 to develop and adopt regulations SB 466 (Hill) Page 1 of ? regarding nursing school credit for military training and experience (Board of Registered Nursing Fund). Background: Under current law, the Board of Registered Nursing licenses and enforces licensing requirements for the practice of nursing. Under current law, the Board is required to establish education and training requirements for nurses, including requirements for applicants who have received nursing training and experience in the military. Current law sunsets the statutory authority for the Board of Registered Nursing at the end of 2015. (This statutory sunset applies only the Board itself. The current statutory provisions governing the practice of nursing, in general, do not have a statutory sunset.) Proposed Law: SB 466 would require the Director of Consumer Affairs to appoint a board enforcement monitor to monitor and evaluate the enforcement program under the Board of Registered Nursing. The enforcement monitor would have no authority over disciplinary actions by the Board. The bill would require changes to the current requirements for crediting nursing education and experience acquired in the military. Specifically, the bill would delete an existing provision law that requires the Board to evaluate the education and training records submitted by an applicant who served in the military. The bill would require the Board deny the application for approval of any nursing school that does not award credit for related military service by the use of examinations. The bill would require the Board to develop regulations by January 1, 2017, requiring schools to have a process for evaluating military experience. Related SB 466 (Hill) Page 2 of ? Legislation: AB 705 (Blumenfeld, 2013) would have required the Board of Registered Nursing to develop regulations regarding military training and experience that is transferable to coursework required for licensure by a registered nurse. That bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. SB 26 (Figueroa, Statutes of 2001) required an enforcement monitor for the Dental Board for a period of two years. Staff Comments: Current law sunsets the existence of the Board of Registered Nursing on January 1, 2016. This bill does not extend that sunset date. However, the remainder of the Nursing Practice Act does not have a statutory sunset. If the Board is allowed to sunset at the end of 2015, the existing licensing and regulatory requirements would remain in place. At the end of 2011, the Board was eliminated due to an un-extended sunset. (SB 538, Price, 2011) would have extended the sunset date. That bill was vetoed by Governor Brown due to issues relating to the establishment of peace officer positions within the Board. The Board was subsequently reconstituted in February 2012 pursuant to SB 98 (Committee on Budget, Statutes of 2012). -- END --