Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S3/7/23 H3/13/23
2 94th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2023 SENATE BILL 79
4
5 By: Senator K. Hammer
6 By: Representative L. Johnson
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO ALLOW FULL INDEPENDENT PRACTICE AUTHORITY
10 FOR CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALISTS; TO AUTHORIZE
11 EXPERIENCE IN ANOTHER STATE TO QUALIFY FOR FULL
12 INDEPENDENT PRACTICE AUTHORITY; AND FOR OTHER
13 PURPOSES.
14
15
16 Subtitle
17 TO ALLOW FULL INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
18 AUTHORITY FOR CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALISTS;
19 AND TO ALLOW EXPERIENCE IN ANOTHER STATE
20 TO QUALIFY.
21
22
23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
24
25 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code 17-87-314(a)-(c), concerning full
26 independent practice authority of certain nurses, are amended to read as
27 follows:
28 (a) As used in this section, full independent practice authority
29 means the ability of a certified nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse
30 specialist to practice with prescriptive authority without a collaborative
31 practice agreement as described in 17-87-310.
32 (b)(1) The Full Independent Practice Credentialing Committee may grant
33 a certificate of full independent practice authority to a certified nurse
34 practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist who submits:
35 (A) An application;
36 (B) An appropriate application fee as determined by the
*JMB037* 03-13-2023 09:44:25 JMB037
As Engrossed: S3/7/23 H3/13/23 SB79
1 Full Independent Practice Credentialing Committee;
2 (C) Proof of successful completion of six thousand two
3 hundred forty (6,240) hours of practice:
4 (i) Under under a collaborative practice agreement a
5 board-required agreement with a physician; or
6 (ii) In another state, territory, or foreign country
7 that authorizes a certified nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist
8 to practice with prescriptive authority if the certified nurse practitioner
9 or the clinical nurse specialist also provides proof of his or her licensure
10 in good standing from that state, territory, or foreign country and proof of
11 his or her licensure in good standing from the Arkansas State Board of
12 Nursing; and
13 (D) Any other relevant information as determined by the
14 Full Independent Practice Credentialing Committee.
15 (2) A certificate of full independent practice authority shall
16 be renewed every three (3) years with an appropriate renewal fee as
17 determined by the Full Independent Practice Credentialing Committee.
18 (c) A certified nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist with
19 a certificate of full independent practice authority may receive and
20 prescribe drugs, medicines, or therapeutic devices appropriate to the
21 certified nurse practitioner's area of practice or the clinical nurse
22 specialist's area of practice.
23
24 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code 17-87-314(e), concerning full independent
25 practice authority of certain nurses, is amended to read as follows:
26 (e) The Full Independent Practice Credentialing Committee shall:
27 (1)(A) Review and approve or deny all applications for a
28 certificate of full independent practice authority for certified nurse
29 practitioners or clinical nurse specialists and for renewal of a certificate
30 of full independent practice authority for a certified nurse practitioner or
31 a clinical nurse specialist.
32 (B) If the Full Independent Practice Credentialing
33 Committee denies an application for a certificate of full independent
34 practice authority, the Full Independent Practice Credentialing Committee
35 shall explain the reasons for the denial in writing to the applicant;
36 (2) Review complaints made against certified nurse practitioners
2 03-13-2023 09:44:25 JMB037
As Engrossed: S3/7/23 H3/13/23 SB79
1 or clinical nurse specialists who have a certificate of full independent
2 practice authority;
3 (3) Review recommendations made by the Arkansas State Medical
4 Board and the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and notify the certified nurse
5 practitioner or the clinical nurse specialist of any action taken by the Full
6 Independent Practice Credentialing Committee based on the recommendations;
7 (4)(A) If the action taken is suspension or revocation of the
8 certificate of full independent practice authority, hold a hearing providing
9 the certified nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist who has a
10 certificate of full independent practice authority with ten (10) days' notice
11 in writing to appear before the Full Independent Practice Credentialing
12 Committee, at the time and place as the Full Independent Practice
13 Credentialing Committee may direct, to show cause as to why his or her
14 certificate of full independent practice authority should not be suspended or
15 revoked.
16 (B) At the hearing, the Full Independent Practice
17 Credentialing Committee shall:
18 (i)(a) Have the power to subpoena witnesses.
19 (b) The Chair of the Full Independent Practice
20 Credentialing Committee or his or her designee shall sign subpoenas and have
21 the power to administer oaths;
22 (ii) Hear evidence; and
23 (iii)(a) Determine if the certificate of full
24 independent practice authority should be suspended or revoked.
25 (b) If the Full Independent Practice
26 Credentialing Committee determines that the certificate of full independent
27 practice authority should be suspended or revoked, the suspension or
28 revocation shall take place immediately.
29 (C) However, only the Arkansas State Board of Nursing has
30 the authority to suspend or revoke the nursing license of a certified nurse
31 practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist; and
32 (5) Provide reports quarterly and upon request regarding the
33 number of applicants approved and denied to the Senate Committee on Public
34 Health, Welfare, and Labor and the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare,
35 and Labor.
36
3 03-13-2023 09:44:25 JMB037
As Engrossed: S3/7/23 H3/13/23 SB79
1 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code 17-87-314(g)-(h), concerning full
2 independent practice authority of certain nurses, are amended to read as
3 follows:
4 (g) A certified nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist
5 whose certificate of full independent practice authority has been denied,
6 suspended, or revoked by the Full Independent Practice Credentialing
7 Committee under this section may appeal the action of the Full Independent
8 Practice Credentialing Committee under the Arkansas Administrative Procedure
9 Act, 25-15-201 et seq.
10 (h) A certified nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist with
11 a certificate of full independent practice authority shall conspicuously
12 identify the certificate of full independent practice authority and that the
13 certified nurse practitioner or the clinical nurse specialist is not required
14 to have a collaborative practice agreement on signage in the office where the
15 certified nurse practitioner or the clinical nurse specialist practices.
16
17 /s/K. Hammer
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
4 03-13-2023 09:44:25 JMB037
Statutes affected: Old version SB79 V2 - 3-7-2023 01:37 PM: 17-87-314(a), 17-87-314(e), 17-87-314(g)
Old version SB79 V3 - 3-13-2023 09:44 AM: 17-87-314(a), 17-87-314(e), 17-87-314(g)
SB 79: 17-87-314(a), 17-87-314(e), 17-87-314(g)