HB 865

Present law provides the powers and duties for the board of nurs ing. One such duty is to prescribe the minimum curricula and minimum standards for schools of nursing and for courses of training preparing persons for nursing licensure, and provide for surveys of such schools or an affiliation of schools and courses. F or practical nursing programs offered by a public institution of higher education, the board must require a minimum of 1,296 clock hours or an equivalent number of credit hours. This bill adds that the board must also permit a student of the practical nu r sing program to sit for the national council licensure exam for practical nurses (NCLEX-PN) upon completion of the practical nursing program, as long as the student meets the NCLEX-PN minimum age requirements as set by the national council of state boards of nursing, which is currently 18. For practical nursing programs offered by a public institution of higher education, this bill requires the board to require both of the following:  That students enrolled in a practical nursing program meet the qualifications for a high school diploma or the equivalent.  That practical nursing program students have access to pre-practical nursing or practical nursing program curricula starting as early as freshman year of high school, or as allowable by the dual enrollment grant available to qualified students. ON MARCH 26, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 644, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require the board of nursing to permit all of the following:  A student to enroll in a practical nursing program offered by a public institution of higher education governed by the Tennessee board of regents if the student (i) meets the qualifications for a high school diploma or its equivalent; (ii) meets the institution's admission requirements for the program; and (iii) is admitted by the institution into the program.  A public institution of higher education governed by the Tennessee board of regents to offer dual enrollment programs in pre-practical nursing and practical nursing to students enrolled in high school, if the student (i) is in the tenth grade or a higher grade level; (ii) meets the institution's admission requirements for the dual enrollment program; and (iii) is admitted by the institution into the dual enrollment program.  A student enrolled in a practical nursing program to sit for the national council licensure exam for practical nurses (NCLEX-PN) upon completion of a practical nursing program. ON APRIL 21, 2025, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 644 FOR HOU SE BILL 865, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 644, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 incorporates the provisions of Senate Amendment #1 and adds authorization for the department of health t o promulgate rules to effectuate this bill.