BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 912

By: Howard

Public Health

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised that the application process for an advanced practice registered nurse who holds a license to practice issued by another state can be lengthy and burdensome. C.S.H.B. 912 seeks to streamline this process by creating an expedited licensing process for such applicants.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Nursing in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 912 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Board of Nursing by rule to create and implement not later than January 1, 2020, an expedited licensing process for an applicant who holds a license or other authorization in good standing to practice nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse issued by another state. The bill authorizes the board to establish a fee in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of the expedited licensing process. The bill makes the 180-day deadline and extension provisions for a permanent license to practice as a registered nurse or vocational nurse inapplicable to the expedited licensing process under the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 912 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute requires the license or authorization held by an applicant eligible for the expedited licensing process to be in good standing and specifies that the fee the board may establish for that expedited process is in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of that expedited licensing process.