SB124 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tim MelsonSenator

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Medical Examiners Board and Nursing Board collaborative practice; joint committee, membership and procedures revised

Summary

SB124 changes who sits on the Joint Committee that oversees physician-nurse collaboration, expands nursing representation, increases per diem for board members, and adds a formal rejection process for committee recommendations.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds two certified registered nurse practitioners and one certified nurse midwife in active collaborative practice to the Joint Committee, increasing nursing representation. It raises the per diem (daily pay) for board members and outlines how expenses are paid. It also creates a three-fifths majority requirement for either the Medical Examiners Board or the Nursing Board to reject a joint committee recommendation, and requires reevaluation if rejected.

Who It Affects

• Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners (CRNPs) and Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) in active collaborative practice will be included as voting members on the Joint Committee, influencing the development of rules for collaborative practice with physicians.
• Physicians and the State Boards (State Board of Medical Examiners and Board of Nursing) will experience changes in committee composition, funding (per diem and expenses), and the new rejection-and-reevaluation procedure for joint committee recommendations.

Key Provisions

• Revises Joint Committee membership to include two physicians, one licensed RN, one physician engaged in collaborative practice, two CRNPs in active collaborative practice, and one CNM in active collaborative practice.
• CRNPs and CNMs are designated as active collaborative practitioners under the committee, while CRNAs and CNSs remain outside the collaborative practice requirements defined in this article.
• CRNPs and CNMs practice under collaborative agreements with physicians; CRNAs and CNSs are not subject to these collaborative practice agreements under this article.
• Defines the Joint Committee and its duties, including annual meetings and the chair alternating between a physician member and a nurse member.
• Per diem and expenses: Committee members receive a per diem of $300 per day (or portion thereof) plus subsistence and travel reimbursement, with expenses paid by the respective governing boards (physician members by the Board of Medical Examiners and nurse members by the Board of Nursing).
• Procedures for rejecting a joint committee recommendation: either board must approve any rejection by a three-fifths majority vote; if rejected, the recommendation is sent back to the joint committee for reevaluation and reconsideration.
• Appointments and terms: physicians are appointed by the Board of Medical Examiners, nurses by the Board of Nursing or through designated professional organizations, each serving three-year terms with a limit of two full terms; terms are staggered to ensure continuity.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Occupational Licensing Boards