CNAP Legislative Update #8 Nursing Bills on the Move

CNAP Legislative Update #8 – Nursing Bills on the Move Lynda Woolbert – Director of Public Policy Coalition for Nurses in Advanced Practice March 25, 2007

Point of Order Stalls CHIP Bill

APNs responded in large numbers to last week’s call to support HB 109 on the House Floor last Monday. Unfortunately, even an excellent bill to improve the Children’s Health Insurance Program can experience a procedural setback. Representative Robert Talton (R – Pasadena, HD #144) raised a point of order point of order because the bill analysis did not match the bill. The Speaker sustained the point of order and HB 109 by Sylvester Turner (D – Houston, HD #139) was sent back to committee. The bill is not dead, just delayed, and I will advise everyone when we see the bill posted again.

Nursing Bills on the Move

I am happy to report that the bills backed by Texas nursing organizations faired well in the Senate and House committees last week. Just like SB 761, the week before, SB 993 was voted favorably from the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and recommended for the Senate Local and Uncontested Calendar. The House Public Health Committee also heard the companion bill to SB 993, HB 2158 by Representative Jim McReynolds (D – Lufkin, HD #12). Margie Dorman O’Donnell and Debora Simmons testified on behalf of TNA for both of these bills. Margie is Director of Case Management at Cook Children’s Health Care System and Vice President of the Texas Nurses Association. Debora is Senior Clinical Quality Improvement Analyst for the Institute of Healthcare Excellence at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and a specialist in patient safety. Both were impressive witnesses that represented nursing very well. The House Public Health Committee also heard the BNE Sunset bill, HB 2426 by Representative Vicki Truitt (R – Southlake, HD #98). The bill did not encounter any opposition. As is the custom in the House Public Health Committee, both HB 2158 and HB 2426 were left pending. We hope both will be voted favorably from committee soon. Although it would not be uncommon for HB 2158 to be left pending until its companion bill, SB 993, is passed by the Senate and referred to the House Public Health Committee. Since the same bill must pass both the Senate and House, the companion bill that passes its chamber of origin first must catch up to the other when the companion bill is being considered in committee or on the floor of the other chamber. This is necessary so the bill that already passed can be substituted for the companion that has not yet passed its chamber of origin. It is in this way that filing companion bills in both the House and Senate helps ensure that a piece of legislation will pass and be sent to the Governor to be signed into law. We assume that this may be the reason that one of the nursing bills, HB 1362, originally scheduled for a hearing last Wednesday, may have been pulled from the hearing schedule. We assume that this bill will be scheduled for a hearing when its companion bill, SB 761, reaches the Public Health Committee.

The Week Ahead

Anesthesiologist Assistant Licensing Bills in the Spotlight: Please Continue Opposition

Over 3,000 emails have been sent through the Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists (TANA), Texas Nurses Association (TNA) and CNAP Websites opposing SB 1314 and HB 3313, the anesthesiologist assistant (AA) licensing bills. Our message has effectively helped many legislators understand why this legislation is bad for Texas. However, this week we must continue delivering our message in writing and in person. This Wednesday, March 28, the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists will have a legislative day. You can be sure that their primary focus will be creating commitments to support licensing AAs. If you have not yet written a letter or email to your legislator about these bills, now is the time to do so. The purpose of our early assault on these bills was to be sure that every Texas legislator heard enough constituents’ concerns about licensing AAs that they would not agree to co-author or support either bill if asked by an anesthesiologist to do so. This is the first week that our strategy will be tested. With so many important issues facing legislators, it can be hard to keep the message to oppose a particular bill or issue fresh in your senator’s or representative’s mind. That is the reason that continued contact from constituents continues to be very important. Fortunately, TANA already had their spring conference planned for March 30 – April 1, and CRNAs will be at the Capitol this Friday, March 30th. This is another opportunity to reinforce the reasons we oppose licensing AAs.

Please Oppose HB 3813, Registration for Surgical Technologists

Those of you who live in the districts of members of the House Public Health Committee will be asked to take action this week to oppose registration for surgical technologists, HB 3813 by Representative John Zerwas (R – Houston, SD #28) . AST, the organization that represents surgical technologists, is encouraging members of the Public Health Committee to hear and favorably consider their bill. They are stating that regulation of surgical technologists will reduce infection rates and improve efficiency in operating rooms. To the best of our knowledge, no research exists that supports these statements. AORN, the national professional organization for perioperative nurses, TCORN, the Texas Council of Operating Room Nurses, and the RNFA Network continue to lead the opposition on this issue. These organizations are asking for our support in fighting this bill, so please respond if you receive the call to action this week.