This agency is currently inactive. An agency can be labeled inactive if it has been abolished, had a title change, was merged into a different agency or split into different agencies. See Agency History on the right for further information.
Next Review Date: None
Last Review Cycle: 2006-2007 Review Cycle - 80th Legislative Session
Sunset Documents for 2006-2007 Review Cycle, 80th Legislative Session
Summary of Results (Jul 2007)
Staff Report (Sep 2006)
Self-Evaluation Report (Jun 2006)
Legislative Documents
House Bill 2426 (Jun 2007)
Final Results of Last Sunset Review
The mission of the Board of Nurse Examiners (the Board) is to protect the public and promote the welfare of Texans by regulating the practices of professional and vocational nursing. The Board seeks to accomplish its mission by licensing qualified individuals to practice nursing; authorizing the advanced practice of qualified professional nurses for such things as issuing prescriptions; establishing standards for and approving nursing education programs; and investigating and taking disciplinary action to enforce the Nursing Practice Act and Board rules. The agency operated with a budget of about $6.5 million in fiscal year 2006 and employs 79 staff.
House Bill 2426 continues the Board of Nurse Examiners and contains all of the Sunset Commission’s recommendations, including legislative guidance in areas such as approving nursing education programs and the Board’s use of criminal history information. The list below summarizes the major provisions of H.B. 2426.
- Streamline the Nurse Board’s process for approving nursing education programs to remove unnecessary complexity, eliminate duplication, and accommodate changes in the delivery of nursing education.
- Encourage an innovative approach by the Board for dealing with the nursing shortage.
- Require the Board to clarify how it will use criminal history and arrest information in licensing and disciplining nurses.
- Change the way the Board uses advisory committees to ensure objective, independent advice on Board functions and policies.
- Adopt the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Multistate Compact to make it easier for nurses to come to Texas.
- Improve the Board’s ability to deal with impaired nurses who commit practice violations.
- Strengthen the Board’s oversight of targeted continuing education to make the requirements workable for the Board and beneficial for nurses.
- Conform key elements of the Board’s licensing and enforcement functions to commonly applied licensing practices.
- Continue the Board of Nurse Examiners for 10 years.
- Change the name of the agency to the Texas Board of Nursing.
- Establish the Texas Hospital-Based Nursing Education Partnership Grant Program.
- Allow flexibility in employment policies for nurses in medical and dental units.