LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 9, 2011

TO:	Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1266 by Coleman (Relating to a study of the practice of advanced practice registered nurses and the authority of those nurses to prescribe and order prescription drugs.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Lieutenant Governor issue a joint interim charge to the standing committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate with jurisdiction over health care professions to examine the independent practice of advanced practice registered nurses. The study would include the potential for cost savings, the impact on access to health care services in medically underserved and health professional shortage areas, the projected the impact on patient safety, the effect in the state's overall health care system, and other foreseeable consequences of expanding the authority of advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe medication to patients. The committee's report of findings and recommendations would be due January 1, 2013.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

507 Texas Board of Nursing

LBB Staff:

JOB, CL, JI, BH