New York State Board for Nursing

A nurse pinning ceremony at Nazareth College

The New York State Board for Nursing is a New York State Education Department board ^[1] that advises the Board of Regents and the Office of the Professions on licensing, professional practice, education standards, and conduct for licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered professional nurses (RN), nurse practitioners (NP), and clinical nurse specialists (CNS). The Board also participates in disciplinary proceedings and recommends changes to laws and regulations governing the nursing profession. New York is one of the few states that has not joined the Nurse Licensure Compact.

The board does not regulate unlicensed assistive personnel such as certified nurse aides, feeding assistants, personal care aides, or home health aides, which are overseen through Department of Health training, competency, and registry frameworks rather than licensure under the Education Law.

History

The regulation of nursing in New York began with the Nurse Practice Act of 1903. ^[2]

In 2010, Republican Asm. Robert Castelli first proposed joining the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). ^{[3] [4]} Other Republicans like minority leader Sen. Rob Ortt have consistently and repeatedly introduced bills, and the Democratic-led committees have consistently withheld them without a vote. ^{[5] [6]} Opposition from unions like the New York State Nurses Association and National Nurses United argue that joining the compact would lower state licensing standards, undermine union protections, and fail to address the root causes of the nurse staffing crisis such as wages, working conditions, and enforcement of staffing laws. ^[7] Health Commissioner James McDonald testified in support of joining the compact in 2023. ^[8] Gov. Hochul's fiscal year 2025 and 2026 budget proposals to join the compact were rejected by the Legislature. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

See also

• New York State Department of Health
• New York State Board for Medicine
• New York State Board for Mental Health Practitioners

References

1. Education Law § 6904
2. "An act to amend the public health law relative to the practice of nursing". Laws of New York . Vol.  126th sess.: I. 1903. pp. 599–601. hdl:2027/nyp.33433090742549. ISSN   0892-287X. Chapter 293, enacted 24 April 1903, effective immediately.
3. McGhee, Moira K. (26 February 2025). "What Are the Nurse Licensure Compact States? (Updated February 2025)". Vivian Health . Retrieved 13 May 2025.
4. "New York Assembly Bill A10762". New York State Assembly. New York State Legislature. 20 April 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
5. Dollinger, Marilyn L. (2 December 2022). "Nurse Licensure Compact Information". American Nurses Association of New York . Retrieved 13 May 2025.
6. "Higher Education Committee, New York State Assembly". Ballotpedia . Lucy Burns Institute. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
7. Kane, Pat (Fall 2023). "Lowering Nurse Licensing Standards Won't Solve the Nurse Staffing Crisis — But Could Harm Patient Care". NY Nurse. New York State Nurses Association . Retrieved 13 May 2025.
8. "Joint Legislative Hearing In the Matter of the 2023-2024 Executive Budget on Health". New York State Senate. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2025. I do think interstate licensure compacts will help every hospital in the state, including safety-nets, quite frankly. … I think it's long since time for New York to do this.
9. "FY 2025 Executive Budget Agency Appropriations: Health, Department of". New York State Division of the Budget. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
10. "FY 2026 New York State Executive Budget Briefing Book" (PDF). New York State Division of the Budget. 21 January 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
11. "State Budget Update 5/7/25 – NYSAFP". New York State Association of Family Physicians. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.

External links

• Official website
• Nursing regulations in the NYCRR
• Article 139 Nursing of the Education Law