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HB 2392

Marriage and families; custody or guardianship; presumption; unfit; effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Stacy Adams and 1 co-sponsor

Expands nursing faculty by requiring instructors hold at least one level higher nursing degree than the program awards, and bars extra Board credentials.

Becomes law without Governor's signature 05/11/2025
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Bill Summary · HB 2392

Summary — HB 2392 (2025): Nursing workforce development; instructor education requirements for state approval (K.S.A. 65-1119)

Status: Withdrawn from Calendar; Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
Introduced: February 4, 2025 (requested by Rep. Wasinger; amended by House Committee of the Whole)
Statute amended: K.S.A. 65-1119

Main purpose

To expand the pool of eligible nursing faculty and facilitate nursing workforce development by (1) specifying minimum academic preparation for instructors at approved professional and practical nursing schools and (2) limiting the Kansas Board of Nursing’s ability to require additional or higher faculty credentials. The bill also clarifies approval language for continuing nursing education providers.

Key provisions

  • Faculty qualification rule: For both professional (RN) and practical (LPN) nursing programs, a school qualifies for Board approval if its faculty "possess a nursing degree" (as amended) awarded by a state- or nationally-accredited school of nursing approved by the Board that is at least one academic level higher than the degree the program awards (e.g., instructors teaching an associate-degree program must hold at least a bachelor’s in nursing).
  • Limits on additional credentialing: The Board of Nursing is prohibited from requiring additional or more advanced credentials beyond the specified minimum.
  • Approval process and duration (retained/clarified):
    • Schools must apply to the Board, demonstrate compliance with curriculum and standards, pay application and annual fees, and may receive approval for up to 10 years with renewal thereafter.
    • The Board will survey and periodically resurvey schools; failure to maintain standards can result in removal from the approved list.
  • Continuing nursing education (CNE) providers: The definition of “approved long-term provider” is updated to explicitly mean a person/organization/institution approved as qualified by the Board. Long-term provider approvals expire after 5 years; single-offering approvals expire after 2 years; long‑term providers submit annual fees and reports; single offerings are not subject to annual fees.
  • Acceptance of external accreditations and certain national providers is preserved for CNE offerings.

Who is affected

  • Nursing education programs (professional and practical) in Kansas — their faculty hiring flexibility and approval status.
  • Nursing faculty candidates (potentially expanded pool).
  • Kansas Board of Nursing (regulatory role constrained re: credentialing requirements).
  • Continuing nursing education providers.
  • State higher‑education institutions/universities (potential but undetermined fiscal/operational effects per Board of Regents).

Fiscal impact

Division of the Budget: Board of Nursing reports a negligible fiscal effect. Board of Regents: no fiscal effect on the Board, but the impact on universities cannot be determined. Any effects are not included in the FY 2026 Governor’s Budget Report.

Legislative history & stakeholder input

  • Proponent testimony: LeadingAge Kansas, Kansas Chamber (written). Rationale: address nursing workforce shortage by easing faculty qualification barriers.
  • Opponent (written): Johnson County Community College.
  • Neutral (written): Kansas Board of Nursing.
  • Procedural: Recommended by House Commerce, Labor & Economic Development Committee; amended by House Committee of the Whole (removed references to medical degrees/medical schools for clarity); later withdrawn from Calendar and referred to Health & Human Services.

Practical implications

By setting a defined minimum (one academic level higher) and barring additional Board-imposed credentialing, the bill would likely broaden the pool of instructors eligible to lead nursing programs — potentially easing faculty shortages but raising questions for academic institutions about degree alignment, hiring practices, and program quality oversight.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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