BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2344
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Date of Hearing: April 20, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS AND CONSUMER
PROTECTION
Mary Hayashi, Chair
AB 2344 (Nielsen) - As Introduced: February 19, 2010
SUBJECT : Nursing: approved schools.
SUMMARY : Clarifies the definition of "institution of higher
education" to include community colleges and private
postsecondary institutions offering associate of science
degrees. Specifically , this bill:
1)Clarifies the definition of "institution of higher education"
to include community colleges and private postsecondary
institutions offering associate of science degrees.
2)Requires an approved school of nursing that is not an
institution of higher education to make an agreement with an
institution of higher education in the same general location
to grant an associate of arts (AA) or associate of science
(AS) degree to graduates, or to grant a baccalaureate degree
in nursing with successful completion of an additional course
of study as approved by the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN)
and the institution involved.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Provides for the licensure and regulation of registered nurses
by BRN and requires BRN to establish a list of approved
nursing schools.
2)Defines an approved school as an institution of higher
education or school that is affiliated with an institution of
higher education that offers an AA degree to individuals that
graduate from the affiliated nursing school.
3)Provides that an "institution of higher education" includes a
community college that offers an associates degree.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
AB 2344
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Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office,
"Current law is ambiguous as to whether a community college that
offers an AA degree or an AS degree can be approved by BRN. For
instance, Cambridge Junior College of Yuba City has been
identified by the Department of Education, Bureau for Private
Postsecondary and Vocational Education and the Accrediting
Counsel for Independent Colleges and Schools as an "Institution
of Higher Learning." But, because they only offer an AS degree
(instead of an AA degree), BRN denied Cambridge Junior College's
feasibility review to be approved for a nursing degree.
"AB 2344 will clear up the ambiguity in Section 2786 of the
Business & Professions Code by stating that an 'Institution of
Higher Education' could be a community college offering an AA OR
an AS degree. Not only will this clear up confusion in current
law, but it will allow more colleges to offer nursing degrees.
Background . Existing law does not define an "institution of
higher education" but provides that the term includes community
colleges offering associate degrees. Additionally, existing law
requires that a school that is not an "institution of higher
education" that seeks to offer a nursing program make an
agreement with an institution of higher education to grant an AA
degree or a baccalaureate degree, if appropriate, to individuals
who graduate from the nursing program.
The Legislative Counsel (LC) opined that a private postsecondary
institution or community college offering an AS degree may
qualify as an "institution of higher education" for the purposes
of BRN approval for a nursing program, notwithstanding the fact
that the institution does not have an AA degree.
While LC opined that existing law should not preclude an
institution offering solely an AS degree from becoming an
approved nursing school, conversations with BRN staff indicate
that BRN believes clarification to existing law is necessary.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
AB 2344
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Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sarah Weaver / B.,P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301