BILL REQ. #:  H-3718.2 

Read first time 01/20/2004.   Referred to Committee on Health Care.

     AN ACT Relating to funding a central resource center for the nursing work force; adding a new section to chapter 18.79 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   Washington state is experiencing a critical shortage of registered nurses. To safeguard and promote patient safety and quality of care, the legislature finds that a central resource center for the nursing work force is critical and essential in addressing the nursing shortage and ensuring that the public continue to receive safe, quality care.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 18.79 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) In addition to the licensing fee for health care professionals licensed under this chapter, the department shall impose an additional surcharge of five dollars per year on all initial licenses and renewal licenses issued under this chapter.
     (2) The department shall use the proceeds from the surcharge to contract with an organization to conduct the following activities:
     (a) Maintain information on the current and projected supply and demand of nurses through the collection and analysis of data regarding the nursing work force including but not limited to education level, employment settings, and nursing positions.
     (b) Facilitate partnership between the nursing community and other health care providers, business and industry, consumers, legislators, and educators to achieve policy consensus, promote diversity within the profession, and enhance nursing career mobility and nursing leadership development.
     (c) Evaluate the effectiveness of nursing education and articulation among programs to increase access to nursing education and enhance career mobility.
     (d) Provide consultation, technical assistance, data, and information related to Washington state and national nursing resources.
     (e) Promote initiatives to ensure a safe, healthy, and respectful workplace environment for nurses.
     (f) Promote a positive image of the nursing profession and educate the public including students in K-12 about careers in nursing.
     (3) The nursing resource center account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from the surcharge in subsection (1) of this section must be deposited in the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for contracting with an organization to conduct the specific activities listed in subsection (2) of this section and to compensate the department for the reasonable costs associated with the collection and distribution of the surcharge. Only the secretary or the secretary's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
     (4) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement this act.