SB 81 Ohio Senate · 135th Legislature (2023-2024)

Authorize certain nurses to sign hospital patient documents

This bill authorizes advanced practice registered nurses, including clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, to sign specific hospital documents for psychiatric and behavioral health patients. It requires these nurses to maintain a written "standard care arrangement" with a collaborating physician or podiatrist who shares a similar medical specialty, outlining how they will refer patients, handle emergencies, and resolve disagreements. The law also establishes rules for notifying the state nursing board of changes in a nurse's collaborating physician and allows nurses to continue practicing for up to 120 days if that collaboration ends due to termination or the physician's death. Additionally, the bill permits hospitals to negotiate these agreements on behalf of their employed nurses, subject to internal hospital approval.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2023
Committee Review
Nov 2023
Senate Passage
May 2024
House Passage
May 2024
Signed into Law
Sep 2024
Introduced Mar 7, 2023 Signed Sep 20, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Nov 15, 2023 · House May 8, 2024

How they voted

291
Passed
Total votes 30
Nov 15, 2023
D Democratic6
6 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican24
23 Yea 1 Nay
95% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
12
Key actions
5
Committee
2
Amendments
1
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
Received from the House
upper
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
The question being, Shall the amendments be concurred in?
upper
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
Concurred in House amendments
upper
May 8, 2024
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
Nov 28, 2023
Committee
Refer to Committee
lower
Nov 15, 2023
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Mar 8, 2023
Committee
Refer to Committee
upper
Mar 7, 2023
Introduced
Introduced
upper
1 primary · 33 co-sponsors

Sponsors