Legislative Alert: April, 2002
by Louise Browning, CAE
Executive Director and Lobbyist
Advanced Practice Bill
The APN bill was amended and passed out of the Senate General Welfare Committee on Wednesday, March 27, and all attendees of the TNA Health Policy Summit had the opportunity to watch the committee in action. Our original amendments (#1 and #2) were combined into Amendment #1 before Sen. Cooper offered it in committee Wednesday. This new Amendment #1 that rewrote the bill was further amended by Sen. Roy Herron in Committee in subsection (e). Click HERE to launch this new Amendment #1.
Sen. Herron’s amendment was offered to try to satisfy TMA’s unfounded fears that the Board of Nursing would write rules to expand the scope of practice for APNs if our title protection amendment passes. Our amendment would not give the board of nursing statutory authority to write rules for an expanded scope or to change the requirements for prescriptive privileges, but the organized medicine lobbyists tried their best to make legislators believe it would in their last-ditch effort to kill the bill in the Senate committee.
After Sen. Herron’s amendment was adopted, the bill passed out with seven (7) ayes (Ford, Henry, Herron, Fowler, Blackburn, Kurita, and Crowe), zero (0) nays, one (1) present and not voting (Sen. Jackson), and one (1) absent (Senator Person).
Senator Jackson wanted to roll the bill for one more week, but Sen. Kurita gave a strong and succinct argument for voting on the bill that day without further delay. She came through for nursing with flying colors and is to be commended.
SB 2488 is scheduled for a floor vote on Wednesday, April 3, at 1:00 pm in the Senate Chamber. It is time to talk to every member of the Senate about the need for this bill. Call your senator today!
A short time later at 11:00 am, the bill was on the House Health Subcommittee calendar. It was rolled until next Wednesday in order to give time for the Senate committee to put the amendment in writing and let the House committee review it before they have to vote on it (a rule of this subcommittee). HB 2429 will be heard Wednesday, April 3, at 11:00 am in the Health Subcommittee.
Surgical Tech Bill
The surgical tech bill was taken off notice Wednesday in the Health Subcommittee, but has appeared back on the calendar for next Wednesday. We are not sure if this is an error or if the bill will indeed be heard. Usually when a bill is taken off notice, it is not called up again during the session.
Glucagon Bill
The glucagon bill passed out of the House Health & Human Resources Committee Tuesday, March 26, and has been referred to House Finance, Ways & Means due to the fiscal note attached to the bill. Rep. Black has asked for a revised fiscal note.
Advanced Practice Bill
The amended version of SB 2488 passed the Senate 30-0 on Wednesday, April 3. Three members were absent–Burks, Cohen and Herron. So…we’re halfway home on title protection.
Please remember to thank Sen. Jerry Cooper, the Senate sponsor.
[email protected] It would be good if you would also take the time to send a note of thanks for their support to all of the senators, including those absent, as they would have voted in favor of the bill had they been in the chamber. Legislators do not receive many thank-you letters.
HB 2429 passed out of the Health Subcommittee earlier that same day with the amendment that was placed on it in the Senate General Welfare Committee on March 27. It was referred to the Health & Human Resources Committee and passed out of that committee on a voice vote on Tuesday, April 9. There was no audible opposition. These members also would appreciate a note of thanks.
Health and Human Resources
25 Legislative Plaza
Phone: (615) 741-0768
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Joe Armstrong, Chairman
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Mary Pruitt, Vice-Chairman
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Dennis Ferguson, Secretary
John Arriola, Diane Black, Gene Caldwell, John J. DeBerry, Jr., Lois DeBerry, Doug Overbey, Tre´ Hargett, David Shepard, Sherry Jones, Russell Johnson, Gary Odom, Robert D. Patton, Brenda Turner, Jason Mumpower, Mark Maddox, Chris Clem, Glen Casada
The House bill has been referred to the Finance Committee due to the fact that it has a fiscal note attached. The fiscal note is a wash, but all bills go to Finance in the House no matter how small the fiscal impact. Before it gets to Finance, the bill will be heard in the Budget Subcommittee. It is on the calendar for Wednesday, April 17, at 12:00 noon in Budget Sub. Contact the members of this subcommittee now. If it clears this subcommittee, it will be heard in the full Finance Committee on Tuesday, April 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Budget of Finance, Ways and Means
33 Legislative Plaza
Phone: (615) 741-4441
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Tommy Head, Chairman
Joe Armstrong, Ralph Cole, Ronnie Cole, Tim Garrett, Joe Kent, Shelby Rhinehart, Randy Rinks, Zane Whitson, Matt Kisber
Finance, Ways and Means
33 Legislative Plaza
Phone: (615) 741-4156
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Matt Kisber, Chairman
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Tommy Head, Vice-Chairman
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Ronnie Cole, Secretary
Joe Armstrong, Ralph Cole, Tommie Brown, Carol Chumney, George Fraley, Eugene E. Davidson, Tim Garrett, Ken Givens, Kim McMillan, Jere L. Hargrove, Craig Fitzhugh, Joe Kent, Doyle Lewis, Jr., Steve McDaniel, Bob McKee, Larry Miller, Phillip Pinion, Shelby A. Rhinehart, Randy Rinks, H. E. Bittle, John Hood, Harry Tindell, Ronnie Davis, Zane Whitson, Stancil Ford, Bobby G. Wood, Jim Boyer
Advanced Practice Bill
The APN Bill passed out of the Budget Subcommittee on Wednesday, April 17. It will be on the Finance Committee calendar on Tuesday, April 23 at 1:30 pm in Room 16. Contact the members of this Committee now.
Finance, Ways and Means
33 Legislative Plaza
Phone: (615) 741-4156
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Matt Kisber, Chairman
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Tommy Head, Vice-Chairman
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Ronnie Cole, Secretary
Joe Armstrong, Ralph Cole, Tommie Brown, Carol Chumney, George Fraley, Eugene E. Davidson, Tim Garrett, Ken Givens, Kim McMillan, Jere L. Hargrove, Craig Fitzhugh, Joe Kent, Doyle Lewis, Jr., Steve McDaniel, Bob McKee, Larry Miller, Phillip Pinion, Shelby A. Rhinehart, Randy Rinks, H. E. Bittle, John Hood, Harry Tindell, Ronnie Davis, Zane Whitson, Stancil Ford, Bobby G. Wood, Jim Boyer