Board executive denies involvement after bill amends faculty qualifications; members ask stakeholder to brief board

Carol Moreland, executive administrator for the Kansas State Board of Nursing, told the board the agency did not participate in an amendment to a House bill that would change faculty‑qualification language in the Nurse Practice Act and disputed statements attributing the amendment to the board.

“That's a very inaccurate statement. I didn't know anything about the amendment until the night before … I didn't even see the amendment until, like, two hours before they worked it,” Moreland said during her executive report, describing a representative's claim that the board director had knowledge of and participated in drafting the amendment.

Why it matters: The bill under discussion would move certain faculty‑qualification requirements from regulation into statute and briefly included language saying a graduate of an approved medical school could be qualified to teach in a nursing program. Board members raised concerns that statutory language would limit the board's ability to set regulatory standards and that changes to the Nurse Practice Act warrant careful scrutiny before the legislature acts.

According to Moreland, the amendment passed on the House floor and the carrier later said the board was ‘fine with this bill.’ Moreland said that characterization was incorrect. She reported contacting legislative leaders and the majority leader, and said the bill was pulled back into committee so the record could be corrected and the board could be consulted. “I never once said that if those considerations were corrected, that the board supported it,” Moreland said.

Board response and next steps: Members agreed it would be helpful to hear from the stakeholder group that had been pursuing the change. Moreland asked whether LeadingAge should present the draft language to the board at a December meeting so the board could review proposed legislation before it moves forward; members signaled support for that plan and suggested the board state on the public record that it is not expressing an opinion on legislation without having seen full language.

Context from staff: Moreland also briefed the board on the larger legislative landscape that affects advanced practice and education. She noted several bills of interest — including a senate bill that would give prescriptive authority to certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) that has reached the governor's desk, and earlier attempts to move APRN compact legislation — and stressed that the board commonly submits neutral or technical testimony rather than full opposition when the board has not seen final statutory language.

What the board did: The board did not vote on a formal policy at this meeting; instead members directed staff to invite LeadingAge (or its legislative representatives) to present proposed language at a future meeting and to put a statement on the record when necessary to clarify whether the board has reviewed and adopted any position.

The board is expected to receive a LeadingAge briefing if the stakeholder can present proposed bill language, and staff said they will bring that scheduling request back to the board.