Senate Bill 78, which would allow certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) to practice independently without direct supervision by physicians or podiatrists, drew supporters and at least one strong skeptic during a committee hearing.

Sponsor Sen. Michael Padilla told the committee the bill "seeks to do is grant certified registered nurse anesthetists the ability to practice independently without the requirement for supervision by physicians, osteopathic physicians, dentists, or podiatrists." He said the measure defines independent practice and covers licensure, prescriptive authority and expedited licensure for CRNAs.

Dr. Shannon Allen, president of the New Mexico Association of Nurse Anesthetists, told the committee CRNAs provide most anesthesia in the state and are a critical rural resource. "Right now, CRNAs do about 79 percent of all the anesthetics in the state. Then in the rural area, we do almost a 100% of them," she said, describing standalone work such as labor epidurals late at night when other staff are not available.

Supporters described national training and certification changes, noting that new graduates must hold a doctoral degree and that many facilities rely on CRNAs for access in underserved areas. Padilla said 93 CRNAs attended the hearing and that the association had submitted dozens of supporting letters from hospital leaders and surgeons.

Sen. Sylvia Pope (committee member) questioned whether the CRNA scope of practice is inherently interdependent: "Their scope of practice is to provide preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative anesthesia care related services. That is an inherently interdependent scope of practice," she said, and asked how "independent practice" would operate in practice settings where care is delivered as a team.

CRNA witnesses and the sponsor said the bill would not remove hospitals' ability to set team requirements or facility protocols; CRNAs would still practice "in accordance to the guidelines of AANA" (the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists) and facility rules, they said.

Committee members pressed on related topics including use of ketamine in outpatient clinics; Dr. Allen and others described state board rules and tri-agency guidance the board of nursing issued for behavioral-health ketamine clinics.

The committee conducted a roll-call on SB 78 after questions; the hearing record shows multiple senators registering "yes" on the roll call and one registered "no." The committee then moved to other bills on the agenda.

Ending: Sponsor Padilla said proponents would be available for follow-up and public comment; no final committee action on SB 78 was recorded in the transcript excerpt available to the committee at the close of the hearing.