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Senate Bill 46

Posted over 6 years ago by Susan Appel

Dear AANP Alabama Members,
Senate Bill 46 passed the Alabama Senate Committee on Health and Human Services last week with significant changes. House Bill 429, the companion bill in the House, also adopted similar language.  
Here’s what’s important to know and where the bill is in process at this time:
  • Due to political challenges, the amended version narrowed the number of items an APRN would be authorized to sign.  
  • The new amendment removed birth certificates, DNRs, worker’s compensation forms, and skilled nursing facility assessments from the introduced version. The new version of the bill narrowed APRN authority to sign items while retaining select elements of the original bill such as: select physicals, disability for parking tags and placards, forms excusing a jury member due to illness, absenteeism for employment or school, forms for ambulance transport, donor breastmilk, and required documentation for diabetic to obtain or renew driver’s license. A full listing of the bill’s authorizations is available here.
  • The amended versions also create new, added authority to Board of Medical Examiners to determine by rule which forms NPs and CNMs may sign. The original version had the Joint Committee of the Alabama Board of Nursing and the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners in this role.
  • The amended Senate Bill 46 passed the Alabama Senate Committee on Health and Human Services last week and awaits a final reading in the Senate before it is sent to the House of Representatives. HB429 passed favorably out of the House Health Committee and awaits consideration on the House floor.
AANP acknowledges the improvement to NP patient care and convenience that these select additional signatory items can bring, and the work of the Alabama NP leadership to bring this bill forward. We also have reservation about the new oversight granted to the Board of Medical Examiners in the current bill versions. AANP holds the position that the Board of Nursing with input from NPs is the appropriate governing body for the practice and profession of Nursing.
Additionally, our team is evaluating House Bill 443. This bill was introduced last week and may have the potential to open dialog around reducing larger barriers to NP patient care. AANP is reviewing this bill to understand its full impact. Our team will bring you an update once we’ve finalized our review and have additional details.  
AANP State Government Affairs team will continue to work with our colleagues and stakeholders in Alabama to shape legislation in Alabama, and report any proposed changes as the bill advances through the legislative and regulatory process.  AANP members can watch the bill at the State Legislation Tracking Center.
Thank you,
Taynin Kopanos
Vice President of State Government Affairs
Ashley Shew
AANP State Policy Analyst

Comments

Sarah Covington
Sarah Covington over 6 years ago

disappointed. In Tallassee, there is so little primary care, and once again, the patient loses access. I am thankful for the improvements and portions that did pass.

Susan Appel
Susan Appel over 6 years ago

One step at a time!

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