94299E2248A3E6678725850B0063D7B1 Hearing Summary

Representative Mullica, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 20-1216 to the committee.  The bill extends the repeal date of the State Board of Nursing within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), which regulates nurses, until September 1, 2027, and makes the following changes:

•   allows nurses to enter into confidential agreement with the Board to limit their practice;

•   modifies the grounds for discipline related to alcohol and drug use, diverting controlled substances, failing to report certain actions to the Board, failing to act within the limitations created by a physical or mental illness, failing to comply to limitations agreed to under a confidential agreement, and engaging in a sexual act with a patient during the course of care or within six months of care;

•   requires malpractice insurance companies to send information to the Board related to any malpractice claims against a licensed nurse;

•   eliminates the requirement for an articulated plan for advance practice registered nurses who have completed the provisional prescriptive authority period;

•   allows, instead of requires, the Board to conduct random audits of articulated plans;

•   changes and updates references to Advanced Practice Nurse and A.P.N. to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse or A.P.R.N.;

•   removes the age requirement to apply for a volunteer nursing license;

•   removes the requirement that the director of DORA consult with the Board when appointing an executive administrator and that one member of the Board serve on a panel to interview candidates for the position; and

•    makes other technical changes and removes obsolete references.



  Representative Mullica responded to committee questions.  

Christy Chase, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to committee questions.  Representative Mullica continued to dialogue with the committee.

Representative Lontine proceeded with witness testimony on the bill.

Colleen Casper, Colorado Nurses Association, testified in support of the bill.  Linda Siderius, Colorado Nurses Association, testified in support of the bill.

Judith Burke, Colorado Nurses Association, testified in support of the bill.  Dr. Craig Luzinski, Colorado Organization of Nurse Leaders, testified in support of the bill.  Dr. Laura Rosenthal, Colorado Nurses Association, testified in support of the bill.

Laura Hildebrand, Northern Colorado Nurse Practitioner Coalition, testified regarding the bill.  Rose Macalister, representing herself, testified regarding the bill.  Patricia Abbott, University of Colorado - College of Nursing, testified in support of the bill.  The witness panel responded to committee questions.

Dr. Rhonda Fisher, representing herself, testified regarding the bill.  Betsy Woolf, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.  Sarah Fredriksson, Colorado Association of Nurse Anesthetists, testified in support of the bill.

Representative Mullica distributed amendments L.001 and L.002 and explained them to the committee (Attachments C and D).