BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 378|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 378
Author: Hagman (R), et al
Amended: 8/20/10 in Senate
Vote: 21
PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT
SUBJECT : Nursing
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires that continuing education for
nurses only contain content relevant to the practice of
nursing, as specified.
Senate Floor Amendments of 8/20/10 delete the prior content
of this bill, which dealt with in-home supportive services,
and instead add the current language.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1.Creates the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) within the
Department of Consumer Affairs and provides for the
licensure and regulation of registered nurses by BRN.
2.Requires BRN, by regulation, establish standards for
continuing education. The standards shall be established
in a manner to assure that a variety of alternative forms
CONTINUED
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of continuing education are available to licensees,
including, but not limited to , academic studies,
in-service education, institutes, seminars, lectures,
conferences, workshops, extension studies, and home study
programs. The standards shall take cognizance of
specialized areas of practice.
3.Requires the continuing education standards established
by the BRN not exceed 30 hours of direct participation in
a course or courses approved by the board, or its
equivalent in the units of measure.
This bill:
1.Provides continuing education for nurses shall contain
only content relevant to the practice of nursing, as
specified. Continuing education courses that advance or
promote labor organizing on behalf of a union, or that
advance or promote statutory or regulatory changes,
political candidates, political advocacy, or political
strategy shall not be considered content relevant to the
practice of nursing and shall not be acceptable for
meeting requirements for licensure renewal.
2.Provides courses include seminars, lectures, conferences,
workshops and any other public events.
3.Specifies if an approved provider offers a course as
specified in #1 above, the provider shall not represent
that the course is acceptable for meeting the continuing
education requirements for licensure renewal. If a
provider violates this requirement, the Board of
Registered Nursing shall withdraw its approval of the
provider, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/23/10)
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OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/23/10)
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California Nurses Association
National Nurses Organizing Committee
JJA:mw 8/23/10 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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