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State Representative Kim Norton
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-9249
For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809
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NURSE LICENSURE COMPACT BILL AUTHORED BY REP. NORTON PASSES HOUSE
(ST. PAUL) — Tonight, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed SF 230/HF 462, a bill making Minnesota part of an interstate nurse licensure compact. The bill has bipartisan support and Rep. Kim Norton (DFL – Rochester) was the chief author of the House bill.
The bill creates a form of regulated licensure reciprocity with other compact states for registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses. A nurse with a valid license in their state of residence could practice in another compact state without getting multiple licenses. Twenty-four states have enacted the nurse licensure compact.
“This is about the future of medicine," said Rep. Norton. “As e-medicine and tele-medicine become more common, we need our nursing staff to be able to practice across state lines both for the benefit of patients and hospitals like the Mayo Clinic.”
Supporters of the bill include several hospital systems, the LPN Alliance, and care providers including Mayo, HealthPartners, Gillette, Allina, Essentia, Sanford, Health East, MN Organization of Leaders in Nursing, MN Directors of Nursing Administration, MN Association of Occupational Health Nurses, MN state Council of Peri-Operative Nurses, Case Managers Society of America – MN, American Association of Ambulatory Care Nurses, Care Providers of MN, Aging Services of MN, Red Cross, MN Hospital Association, and the National Association of Attorneys General.
In an attempt to address the concerns of the Minnesota Nurses Association who continues to oppose the bill, Rep. Norton amended her bill to delay the effective date until 2013 and have the Minnesota Department of Health conduct an evaluation of current compact states. The study will look at the nurse workforce, disciplinary actions, and union bargaining. Once the compact has been implemented, the state will conduct a study for three years to allow Minnesota to monitor its effect on our own workforce.
“Throughout this process, I have tried to bring together stakeholders, interested parties, supporters and opponents,” said Rep. Norton. “I believe this is a good compromise to make sure the state is carefully approaching this issue before and after implementation. This bill was identified as ‘essential’ by the Governor’s 2012 Health Care Task Force, so it’s important to get this done and continue improving Minnesota’s great health care system.”
The bill passed in the Senate on April 19, but was amended in the House. The bill will now return to the Senate for their concurrence or refusal of the amendment and appointment of a conference committee.
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