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Board of Nursing proposes fee increases after multi‑year deficit; members request detailed fee methodology
Summary
Officials said the Board of Nursing has run deficits since about 2020 and proposed fee increases across exams, endorsements and renewals to restore reserves; members asked for written detail on how fees were calculated and whether other cost‑saving options were explored.
Olivia Johnson, legislative liaison for the Department of Health, and Matt McSpadden, fiscal director for health related boards, presented a package of fee increases for nursing licenses and related services to address a multi-year deficit.
McSpadden said the board began running a deficit around 2020 after a fee decrease intended to spend down a reserve; increased licensing volume (about 20,000 additional licensees in five years) and fixed administrative costs (staffing, state services, technology) contributed to the shortfall. Proposed increases include raising examination, endorsement and renewal fees to levels intended to restore the reserve balance.
Senator Kyle and Representative Partaway pressed whether alternatives were explored and requested a written breakdown of the fee methodology (flat fees vs. percentage basis). McSpadden described the process used by the board and fiscal director to model revenue and equitable distribution across licenses and agreed to provide more detailed documentation in writing.
The committee moved the package forward; the record shows prior action in August 2025 where a technical error required refiling, and staff said this refiled package corrects that error.
