Senate Bill 383 makes broad changes to Indiana law governing advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). The bill removes the current requirement that APRNs have a practice agreement with a collaborating physician and eliminates related provisions tying APRN practice to collaborative agreements or hospital-granted privileges. It also repeals the statutory audit process for APRN practice agreements and makes conforming changes throughout the Indiana Code to reflect a more independent APRN practice model.
The bill also expands APRN prescribing authority in a limited area by allowing APRNs with prescriptive authority to prescribe a Schedule II controlled substance for weight reduction or obesity treatment, while keeping existing safeguards for controlled substances used for weight loss. In addition, it updates Medicaid and public health provisions to recognize APRNs in certain roles, including reimbursement for services provided in community mental health centers, supervision of outpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment plans, and HIV testing-related procedures. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
SB 383 would significantly revise multiple sections of Indiana law affecting nursing licensure, prescriptive authority, Medicaid reimbursement, HIV testing procedures, and controlled-substance rules. Its most consequential legal change is the removal of the practice-agreement requirement for APRNs and the repeal of the associated audit and enforcement framework, which would reduce physician oversight requirements and alter the regulatory relationship between APRNs and collaborating practitioners. The bill also updates controlled-substance law to permit APRNs with prescriptive authority to prescribe Schedule II medications for obesity or weight reduction, and it makes conforming changes to statutes governing nursing board authority and disciplinary procedures.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears to be supportive of expanding APRN authority and modernizing practice rules. The bill’s structure suggests a policy direction favoring greater autonomy for APRNs and broader use of APRNs in Medicaid and behavioral health settings. No contrary public testimony or recorded vote data is available here to indicate organized opposition or support levels beyond the bill’s introduced form.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the elimination of the physician collaboration requirement and the repeal of practice-agreement audits, which would be viewed by supporters as reducing unnecessary barriers and by opponents as weakening oversight and patient-safety safeguards. Another likely area of debate is the expansion of APRN prescribing authority to include Schedule II controlled substances for weight reduction or obesity, since controlled-substance prescribing is typically closely scrutinized. The bill also preserves some limits and references to scope of practice, suggesting an effort to balance expanded authority with existing professional boundaries.