The Board of Registered Nursing(BRN) executive officer told the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Advisory Committee on May 30 that a bill affecting CRNA scope of practice was scheduled for hearing and remains in progress. "Our board maintains a position of support on that bill and we are hopeful that it will pass and be signed into law effective January 1," Executive Officer Loretta Melby said.

The update mattered because Melby said the bill would change the statutory language that defines CRNA scope of practice, and the board's regulatory subcommittee has prepared draft regulations to align with the expected statutory change. "When that bill is passed and it is signed into law January 1, it will update the statutory language for CRNAs. At that point, we do have a regulatory subcommittee that had been working hard on regulations. We will update those regulations to reflect the current statutory language at that point," Melby said.

Committee members discussed process and timing. Melby described the next administrative steps if the bill is enacted: the regulatory subcommittee will revise proposed regulations, those revisions will proceed to the Nurse Practice Committee, and then to the full Board of Registered Nursing for final action. She did not announce any completed regulatory changes; she framed the work as preparatory and contingent on the bill becoming law.

Committee members did not take formal action on the bill in this meeting. Melby said staff will continue to monitor the billand to proceed with regulatory updates only after statutory changes take effect.

Melby also said a BRN staff lead assigned to legislation and regulation will return from leave soon to assist with the process.

The committee did not adopt or approve any regulatory language at the May 30 meeting; the regulatory work remains in a holding pattern pending any statutory change.