SB179 Summary

• Authorizes the Alabama Board of Nursing to establish rules and standards for student nurse apprenticeships and issue student nurse apprentice permits to eligible students.

• Authorizes the Board of Nursing to establish rules and standards for certified medication assistants and issue permits to eligible applicants; defines a certified medication assistant as unlicensed assistive personnel who completed a board-approved curriculum and holds valid medication assistant certification, limited to employment in state-licensed or operated health care or educational facilities.

• Maintains Board of Nursing composition at 13 members (8 licensed professional nurses, 4 licensed practical nurses, 1 consumer member) with requirements for inclusive representation of racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity.

• Makes technical corrections to Section 34-21-2, Code of Alabama 1975, including renumbering board powers and duties and correcting terminology ("adopted" instead of "promulgated").

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.