WSR 16-21-042 PROPOSED RULES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH [Filed October 12, 2016, 9:21 a.m.]
Original Notice.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 246-840-990, practical and registered nursing, fees and renewal cycle. Proposing fee adjustments to align licensing fee revenues with the actual costs of regulating these professions. The department is coordinating rule making with the nursing care quality assurance commission.
Hearing Location(s): Department of Health, Town Center 111 Israel Road, Building 2, Room 145, Tumwater, WA 98501, on November 30, 2016, at 1:00 p.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: December 7, 2016.
Submit Written Comments to: Nancy Elliott, P.O. Box 47850, Olympia, WA 98504-7850, e-mail https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/policyreview, fax (360) 236-4626, by November 30, 2016.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Nancy Elliott by November 16, 2016, TTY (800) 833-6388 or 711.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: It has been determined that current licensing fees will not generate sufficient revenue to cover the costs of administering and regulating nursing professions. The goal of the proposed fee adjustment is to align licensing fee revenues with the actual costs of regulating these professions, while bringing year-end fund balances to the level needed to cover unanticipated expenses over a ten year period. This proposal includes a fee reduction for nursing technicians and licensed practical nurses (LPN) because these credentials are less costly to administer than the other two credentials.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: RCW 43.70.250 requires the cost of each licensing program to be fully borne by the profession's members and licensing fees to be based on the licensing program's costs. Based on six year projections of fee revenue and expenses for each profession, using best available data, revenue from the current nursing profession fees are anticipated to lose pace with future expenditures. Without the proposed adjustments, the program's year-end reserves will fall below the recommended fund balance over a ten year period.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Department of health, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting and Implementation: Nancy Elliott, 111 Israel Road, Tumwater, WA 98501, (360) 236-4878; and Enforcement: Sherry Thomas, 111 Israel Road, Tumwater, WA 98501, (360) 236-4612.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. Under RCW 19.85.025 and 34.05.310 (4)(f), a small business economic impact statement is not required for proposed rules that set or adjust fees or rates pursuant to legislative standards.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. The agency did not complete a cost-benefit analysis under RCW 34.05.328. RCW 34.05.328 (5)(b)(vi) exempts rules that set or adjust fees or rates pursuant to legislative standards.
October 10, 2016
John Wiesman, DrPH MPH
Secretary
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 13-24-097, filed 12/3/13, effective 2/1/14)
WAC 246-840-990 Fees and renewal cycle.
(1) ((Applicants for a practical nurse license must pay the application fee, the LPN UW online access fee (HEAL-WA)*, and the nursing center surcharge fee when applying for a license. Licenses for practical nurse must be renewed)) A licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a registered nurse (RN) must renew his or her license every year on the ((practitioner's birthday as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2. Practical nurses must pay the renewal fee, the HEAL-WA fee, and the nursing center surcharge fee when renewing licenses)) licensee's birthday.
(2) When applying for a license an applicant((s)) for ((a registered nurse)) an initial or renewal LPN license or RN license must pay, in addition to the application fee, the ((RN UW online access fee (HEAL-WA), and the nursing center surcharge fee when applying for a license. Licenses for registered nurse must be renewed every year on the practitioner's birthday as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2. Registered nurses must pay the renewal fee, the HEAL-WA fee, and the nursing center surcharge fee when renewing licenses.
(3) Licenses for)) University of Washington (UW) health sciences online library access (HEAL-WA) surcharge and the central nursing resource center (CNRC) surcharge, as required in RCW 43.70.110.
(3) An advanced registered nurse ((must be renewed)) practitioner (ARNP) must renew his or her license every two years on the ((practitioner's)) licensee's birthday ((as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2)). An ARNP must also hold a valid RN license and pay all associated fees every year on the licensee's birthday.
(4) ((Registrations for)) A nursing technician((s)) must ((be renewed)) renew his or her registration every year on the practitioner's birthday ((as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2)). The renewal must be accompanied by an attestation as ((described)) required in RCW 18.79.370((. This attestation will)) that includes the nursing technician's anticipated graduation date. If the anticipated graduation date is within one year, the registration will expire thirty days after the anticipated graduation date. The expiration date may be extended to sixty days after graduation if the nursing technician can show good cause as defined in WAC 246-840-010(15).
(5) ((The following nonrefundable fees shall be charged by the health professions quality assurance division of the department of health. Persons who hold an RN and an LPN license shall be charged separate fees for each license. Persons who are licensed as an advanced registered nurse practitioner in more than one specialty will be charged a fee for each specialty:
RN/LPN fees:
Advanced registered nurse fees:
Nurse technologist fees:
A practitioner who holds more than one credential will be charged separate fees for each credential, in compliance with chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2 and RCW 43.70.110.
(6) The following nonrefundable fees will be charged:
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