HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1252

BYRepresentatives Prentice, Morris, Wood, Patrick, Braddock, D. Sommers, G. Fisher, Day, Leonard, Ebersole and Wineberry;by request of Department of Licensing

Changing provisions relating to registered nurses.

House Committe on Health Care

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Brooks, Ranking Republican Member; Cantwell, Chandler, Morris, Prentice, Sommers, Sprenkle, Vekich and Wolfe.

House Staff:John Welsh (786-7133)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE JANUARY 23, 1989

BACKGROUND:

An officer of the state Board of Nursing must be present to constitute a quorum. Applicants for licensure as Registered Nurses who fail the examination may take a subsequent one within a year without charge.  Members of the board may be removed by the governor for dishonorable acts.  The Uniform Disciplinary Act for the health professions has covered the practice of nursing since its enactment in 1987.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  A quorum of the state Board of Nursing may be constituted without an officer and members of the board may be removed for incompetency or unprofessional conduct as defined by the Uniform Disciplinary Act.  The authority for applicants of licensure as registered nurses who fail their examination and who can take a subsequent examination without charge is repealed.  Statutory references are updated to reflect current terminology, and obsolete sections are repealed.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: A reference to annual meeting of the board is deleted.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Chris Rose, Department of Licensing.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    These housekeeping and technical amendments are helpful for the smooth operations of the board.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.