Amend CSSB 7 by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to read as follows and renumbering the remaining SECTIONS accordingly.

SECTION ____. INTERIM STUDY OF INDEPENDENT PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES. (a) The speaker of the house and the lieutenant governor shall create and appoint a joint interim committee composed of a combination of legislators, state officials and citizen members to conduct a joint study as described by Subsection (b).

(b) The study shall examine the independent authority of advanced practice registered nurses to diagnose and prescribe drugs and medical devices within the scope of the health care providers' practice and license, including:

(1) the impact on access to health care services for underserved communities and health professional shortage areas;

(2) any projected impact on patient safety and the quality of care for persons treated by advanced practice registered nurses;

(3) the effect on the state's overall health care system; and

(4) the potential cost savings and other foreseeable consequences of expanding the authority in the Nursing Practice Act of advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe medication to patients without statutory requirements for physician delegation or collaboration.

(c) Not later than January 1, 2013, the committees shall report the committees' finding and recommendations to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the governor. The committees shall include in their recommendations specific changes to statutes and agency rules that may be necessary according to the results of the committees' study conducted under this section.

(d) Not later than November 1, 2011, the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives shall issue the joint interim charge required by this section.

(e) This section expires January 1, 2013.

SECTION ____. (a) The Institute for Health Policy at the School of Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston shall study, with respect to patients who receive health care services from an advanced practice nurse, as that term is defined in Section 301.152, Occupations Code, patient safety and outcomes, including quality of care, health care costs, access to health care, and any other measures determined by the institute.

(b) Not later than October 15, 2012, the Institute for Health Policy shall report its findings to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee or its successor, and the House Public Health Committee or its successor and the joint interim committee created and appointed to study independent prescriptive authority for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.