Pennsylvania HB 739: An Act amending the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317, No.69), known as The Professional Nursing Law, further providing for title, for definitions, for State Board of Nursing, for dietitian-nutritionist license required, for unauthorized practices and acts not prohibited, for temporary practice permit, for graduates of schools of other states, territories or Dominion of Canada, for persons entitled to practice, for certified registered nurse practitioners and qualifications, for scope of practice for certified registered nurse practitioners, for prescriptive authority for certified registered nurse practitioners, for Drug Review Committee, for professional liability, for reporting of multiple licensure, for continuing nursing education, for punishment for violations, for refusal, suspension or revocation of licenses, for reinstatement of license and for injunction or other process; and providing for the expiration of the State Board of Nursing's power to license certified registered nurse practitioners.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 763
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 739
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY GUENST, WARNER, KHAN, ISAACSON, NEILSON, HOWARD,
SANCHEZ, WAXMAN, GIRAL, WARREN, BURGOS, HANBIDGE, PIELLI,
CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, DOUGHERTY, MALAGARI, MAYES, HOHENSTEIN,
CIRESI, BOROWSKI, HILL-EVANS, DONAHUE, FLEMING, D. WILLIAMS,
KENYATTA, CERRATO, GREEN, DALEY, SALISBURY, WEBSTER,
SHUSTERMAN, PASHINSKI, JAMES, RIVERA AND KOZAK,
FEBRUARY 26, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
FEBRUARY 26, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317, No.69), entitled "An
act relating to the practice of professional nursing;
providing for the licensing of nurses and for the revocation
and suspension of such licenses, subject to appeal, and for
their reinstatement; providing for the renewal of such
licenses; regulating nursing in general; prescribing
penalties and repealing certain laws," further providing for
title, for definitions, for State Board of Nursing, for
dietitian-nutritionist license required, for unauthorized
practices and acts not prohibited, for temporary practice
permit, for graduates of schools of other states, territories
or Dominion of Canada, for persons entitled to practice, for
certified registered nurse practitioners and qualifications,
for scope of practice for certified registered nurse
practitioners, for prescriptive authority for certified
registered nurse practitioners, for Drug Review Committee,
for professional liability, for reporting of multiple
licensure, for continuing nursing education, for punishment
for violations, for refusal, suspension or revocation of
licenses, for reinstatement of license and for injunction or
other process; and providing for the expiration of the State
Board of Nursing's power to license certified registered
nurse practitioners.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
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Section 1. The title of the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317,
No.69), known as The Professional Nursing Law, is amended to
read:
AN ACT
Relating to the practice of professional nursing and the
practice of advanced practice registered nursing; providing
for the licensing of nurses and for the revocation and
suspension of such licenses, subject to appeal, and for their
reinstatement; providing for the renewal of such licenses;
regulating nursing in general; prescribing penalties and
repealing certain laws.
Section 2. Section 2(1), (10), (12), (13) and (14) of the
act are amended and the section is amended by adding paragraphs
to read:
Section 2. Definitions.--When used in this act, the
following words and phrases shall have the following meanings
unless the context provides otherwise:
(1) The "Practice of Professional Nursing" means diagnosing
and treating human responses to actual or potential health
problems through such services as casefinding, health teaching,
health counseling, and provision of care supportive to or
restorative of life and well-being, and executing medical
regimens as prescribed by a licensed physician or dentist. The
foregoing shall not be deemed to include acts of medical
diagnosis or prescription of medical therapeutic or corrective
measures, except as performed by [a certified registered nurse
practitioner] an APRN-CNP acting in accordance with rules and
regulations promulgated by the Board.
* * *
(10) "Medical nutrition therapy" means the component of
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nutrition therapy that concerns determining and recommending
nutrient needs based on nutritional assessment and medical
problems relative to diets prescribed by a licensed physician or
an APRN-CNP, including:
(i) tube feedings;
(ii) specialized intravenous solutions;
(iii) specialized oral solutions; and
(iv) interactions of prescription drugs with food or
nutrients.
* * *
[(12) "Certified registered nurse practitioner" means a
registered nurse licensed in this Commonwealth who is certified
by the board in a particular clinical specialty area.]
(13) "Collaboration" means a process in which [a certified
registered nurse practitioner] an APRN-CNP who has less than
three (3) years and three thousand six hundred (3,600) hours of
practice works with one or more physicians to deliver health
care services within the scope of [the certified registered
nurse practitioner's] an APRN-CNP's expertise. The process
includes all of the following:
(i) Immediate availability of a licensed physician to [a
certified registered nurse practitioner] an APRN-CNP through
direct communications or by radio, telephone or
telecommunications.
(ii) A predetermined plan for emergency services.
(iii) A physician available to [a certified registered nurse
practitioner] an APRN-CNP on a regularly scheduled basis for
referrals, review of the standards of medical practice
incorporating consultation and chart review, drug and other
medi