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Committee advances House Bill 89 to clarify LPN role in delegated nursing assessments
Summary
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 89 to the Senate floor with a “do pass” recommendation. The measure clarifies language about licensed practical nurses (LPNs) performing delegated, focused assessments at the direction of registered nurses (RNs), aligning statutory text with existing IDAPA practice rules.
Representative Healy, representing District 15, told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that House Bill 89 replaces vague language about LPNs "contributing to" patient assessments with language that permits "appropriate delegated focused assessments" to be performed under RN direction. The committee voted to send the bill to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation.
The bill’s sponsor said the change is primarily a drafting cleanup to match the language used in IDAPA rules and to clarify what RNs may delegate. "Contributing really isn't — they can't ask them to contribute. It's very arbitrary," Representative Healy said, arguing that the bill would allow RNs to provide a specific, delegated list of tasks (for example: take vital signs or assess skin) while keeping higher-level responsibilities with the RN.
Senator Shippey asked whether the phrase in the earlier statement of purpose, "performing delegated assessments," differs in practice from "performing appropriate delegated focused assessments." "There really isn't a difference," Representative Healy replied, explaining that "focused" is intended to describe a limited, task-oriented list and "appropriate" was added after nursing stakeholders asked for a qualifier to ensure delegated tasks stay within scope.
Representative Blaylock, who moved the committee recommendation, said the change "enhances the clarity of scope of practice" and helps patient safety by keeping clinicians working within their authorized roles. The motion to send House Bill 89 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation was seconded by Senator Wintrow and approved by voice vote; no opposition was recorded in the transcript.
The bill text cited in committee refers to language in the packet (transcript: "54 14 o 2") and to IDAPA rules; Representative Healy said IDAPA uses "assess" rather than "contribute," which informed the drafting change. The committee record shows no amendments or further conditions attached to the due-pass recommendation.
If enacted as written, the bill would standardize statutory wording to reflect delegation practice described by nursing stakeholders and IDAPA rules. The committee did not record numeric vote totals in the transcript.
