West Virginia House Bill HB2323

West Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/12/25
• Refer: 2/12/25

Caption

Relating to authorizing the Board of Registered Nurses to promulgate a legislative rule relating to requirements for registration and licensure and conduct constituting professional misconduct

Summary

HB2323 is a rule-authorization bill for the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses. It approves a legislative rule filed in the State Register that governs requirements for nurse registration and licensure, as well as conduct that may constitute professional misconduct. The bill itself does not create a new licensing framework in statute; rather, it gives legislative approval to the board’s existing or proposed administrative rule so it can take effect under state law. In practical terms, the measure supports the Board of Registered Nurses’ authority to regulate entry into the profession and to define disciplinary standards for nurses. The referenced rule, 19 CSR 03, addresses who may be registered or licensed and what behavior can lead to professional discipline. Because the bill is limited to authorizing a rule, its impact is primarily on administrative regulation rather than broad changes to the underlying nursing statutes.

Impact

HB2323 amends and reenacts §64-9-1 of the West Virginia Code to authorize a specific legislative rule of the Board of Registered Nurses under §30-7-4. The effect is to validate the board’s rulemaking on nurse licensure, registration requirements, and professional misconduct standards, allowing those regulations to be enforced as part of the state’s administrative code. The bill affects nurses, applicants for licensure or registration, and the board’s disciplinary and licensing processes.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be a routine, technical rule-authorization measure rather than a controversial policy proposal. The available context suggests neutral or procedural support, with no documented opposition or amendments in the supplied record. Because no vote history or transcripts are provided, there is no evidence of significant public or legislative conflict around the bill.

Contention

No specific points of contention are shown in the provided materials. If any concerns were raised, they are not reflected in the available transcripts or vote record. In general, bills of this type can prompt questions about the scope of nursing discipline, licensure standards, or whether the board’s rule exceeds statutory authority, but none of those issues are documented here.