SCS/SB 659 - Under the act an advanced practice registered nurse is a person licensed and authorized to engage in the practice of advanced practice professional nursing, and accountable to patients and the Board of Nursing for the quality of care rendered and for consulting with or referring patients to other providers, when appropriate. Advanced practice registered nursing is defined as the performance of advanced nursing with advanced education and specialized training, and includes the performance of certain acts specified in the act such as patient assessment, performing tests and procedures, and ordering medications in accordance with prescriptive authority. Such definition does not include the giving of expert testimony in a court proceeding by an advanced practice registered nurse licensed by any state. All licensed APRNs are authorized to prescribe medication within the nurse's practice and specialty and procure, administer, and dispense samples. The act provides application requirements in order to become licensed as an APRN. Once an APRN license has been issued, the license holder's APRN license and RN license shall be treated as one license for renewal purposes. This act is substantially similar to HB 1491 (2014) and HCS/SB 528 (2014). JESSICA BAKER