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NAPA Legislative Update 5/20/19

Posted almost 5 years ago

NAPA Legislative Update

May 20, 2019

 

There’s just over two weeks to go for the 80th session of the Nevada State Legislature. We just passed the May 17th deadline by which bills must pass committee in the second house, and 38 bills and one resolution fell victim to it. Of course, bills that have received a waiver or been declared exempt aren’t subject to these deadlines.

 

Here are look the remining deadlines going:

  • May 23rd: budget differences must be resolved.
  • May 24th: bills must pass their second house or no further action is allowed on those bills.
  • May 29th: exempt bills must pass out of either the Senate Finance or Assembly Ways and Means committees.
  • May 29th: budget bills must be introduced.
  • June 3rd: sine die.

 

Here’s where things stand on the bills we’re tracking and please note a new addition – SB544, the Governor’s bill to establish the Patient Protection Commission – to the list:

 

Assembly Bill 123: This bill changes how immunization data is compiled and shared. PAs have been added to this bill as providers who can sign statements for medical exemptions. The bill was amended and passed the Assembly but was amended in such a way that the public health community no longer supports it, in fact opposes and will try to kill it. It hasn’t been scheduled yet for a hearing in the Senate.

STATUS: It’s dead.

 

Assembly Bill 129: This bill requires certain first responders to receive 2 hours of training concerning persons with intellectual disabilities for licensure or certification, but was amended to exempt physicians, PAs and nurses from that requirement. It passed the Assembly and awaits a hearing in the Senate.

STATUS: Amended and passed out of committee in the Senate; awaits a vote by the Senate.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=329

 

Assembly Bill 147: This bill has the signature authority provisions in it, although not as expansive as we’d have liked nor the same as what APRNs got last session. The bill is on the Senate Floor and in the queue for a vote by that house.

STATUS: Signed by the Governor on May 14th.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=371

 

Assembly Bill 239: This is clean-up legislation for AB474 from the 2017 session, legislation that sought to address the prescription drug/opioid abuse epidemic. NAPA supported the bill in committees in both houses, along with other groups including providers and boards. The bill was amended and passed the Assembly.

STATUS: Amended and passed Senate committee (to require a bona fide relationship exists before prescribing schedule II, III, or IV drugs); awaits a vote by the Senate.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=575

 

Assembly Bill 310: As originally proposed, this bill would require e-prescribing as the only way to prescribe. The Speaker of the Assembly agreed to amend it to narrow it to controlled substances and that written prescriptions are still allowed. The bill was amended and passed the Assembly and will be heard May 1st in the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor. NAPA was neutral on the bill with the amendment presented in the Assembly and will remain neutral unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

STATUS: Amended and passed Senate committee (to further clarify circumstances and cases in which this doesn’t apply per regulations the Board of Pharmacy will develop); awaits vote by the Senate.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=719

 

Assembly Bill 328: This was the PA omnibus bill, one that would have removed the supervisory agreement PAs must have in order to practice, modernized the licensing process for PAs, and allowed PAs to sign, certify, stamp, etc., in lieu of a physician. It was not heard for a couple of reasons: the signature authority would be in another bill (AB147), and removing the supervisory agreement was viewed as independent practice; legislators and certain other stakeholders weren’t on board with that. 

STATUS: No further action is allowed.

 

Assembly Bill 373: This bill would prohibit state and local governments from restricting information that can be shared with patients. NAPA supported the bill, but it wasn’t voted on. STATUS: No further action is allowed.

 

Senate Bill 115: NAPA was able to add PAs to this bill as a provider of health care that can issue an order for donor breast milk. The bill was amended and passed out of committee but has been re-referred to the Senate Finance committee to address the fiscal note, where it hasn’t been scheduled yet.  It is exempt.

STATUS: Still awaiting a hearing in Finance.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=264

 

Senate Bill 116: This would add PAs to the new definition of “attending provider of health care” for issues of determining a proxy decision-maker for certain patients who lack the capacity to act on their own behalf. The bill was never heard.

STATUS: No further action is allowed.

 

Senate Bill 124: This bill would have allowed licensing boards to discipline providers if certain procedures for gender-altering surgery aren’t followed. The bill was never heard.

STATUS: No further action is allowed.

 

Senate Bill 128: As amended, this bill proposes to revise “provisions governing the administration of occupational licensing boards.” As stated, the intention is for an omnibus licensing board bill of sorts with the provisions from SB271 and SB289 amended into it. It passed the Senate but has not been scheduled yet for a hearing in the Assembly.

STATUS: Heard in Assembly committee but was not voted on so no further action allowed. However, there are rumors certain provisions may be amended into another bill, although it’s unlikely they will include PA provisions.

 

Senate Bill 130: This would require PAs to be licensed to engage in radiation therapy and radiological imaging and certified to operate a mammography machine. The bill was amended to exempt PAs and re-referred to Senate Finance, where it was heard April 29th but wasn’t voted on.

STATUS: In Finance, to be heard again May 21st. Bill is exempt.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=291

 

Senate Bill 170: This bill allows PAs to inject botox. It passed the Senate unanimously.

STATUS: Heard in Assembly committee but not voted on so no further action allowed.

 

Senate Bill 171: This bill would require the collection of certain data as a condition of re-licensure for all providers of health care. The bill was amended and passed out of committee and referred to Senate Finance.

STATUS: Awaiting a hearing in Finance; bill is exempt.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=418

 

Senate Bill 189: This bill would implement a new process for PAs to transfer a patient if the PA has determined the care requested would be ineffective or contrary to standards of care. The was never heard.

STATUS: No further action is allowed.

 

Senate Bill 247: This bill would require a provider of health care to obtain the consent of all parents or legal guardians of a minor before mental health evaluation or treatment can commence. It was heard but that’s as far as it went.

STATUS: No further action is allowed.

 

Senate Bill 271: Because its provisions were not amended into Senate Bill 128 on the Senate side, the concerns we have still exist regarding the provisions from Assembly Bill 328 and other considerations that would be amended into the bill.

STATUS: No further action is allowed.

 

Senate Bill 283: This is a bill about prescription drugs. As it has been amended (conceptually), among other considerations, it would require every prescription to uploaded to the PMP, not just prescriptions for controlled drugs. It was amended and passed out of committee and was re-referred to Senate Finance.

STATUS: Heard in Finance, no action was taken; bill is exempt.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=641

 

Senate Bill 289:  As amended, the bill proposes to “make an appropriation for health services in underserved areas.” The bill’s intent is more money for loan forgiveness programs for health care providers who choose to practice in designated critical shortage areas. Provisions relating to the NSBME and the NSBOM were removed. The bill passed out of committee and re-referred to Senate Finance.

STATUS: Awaiting a hearing in Finance; bill is exempt.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=669

 

Senate Bill 315: This bill would encourage PAs to receive CME on rare diseases. It was amended and passed the Senate.

STATUS: Passed Assembly committee; awaits vote by the Assembly.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=706

 

Senate Bill 470: This bill requires a medical facility to provide cultural competency training for its employees that provide care to patients. The State Board of Health will develop regulations for that training. Passed the Senate, in the Assembly.

STATUS: Amended and passed Assembly committee (amendment not posted), awaits vote by Assembly.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=1042

 

Senate Bill 544: This is Gov. Sisolak’s legislation to establish the Patient Protection Commission, its membership, duties and responsibilities, and so forth. NAPA testified in support, along with pretty much every other entity that’s part of Nevada’s health care system.

STATUS: Bill will be voted on today (5/20) in Senate Health & Human Services committee.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=1203

 

Senate Concurrent Resolution 6: This is another vehicle that will begin the overhaul of Nevada’s occupational and professional licensing boards. It’s expected that both houses will adopt it, the issue will be studied during the interim with recommendations brought forward for the Legislature’s consideration in 2021, at which time it’s expected Gov. Sisolak will sponsor legislation to implement what he wants and what the study recommends.

STATUS: Heard in Senate Legislative Operations and Elections committee; no action taken.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/80th2019/Reports/history.cfm?ID=999