Senate Bill 5,051 would designate the State Board of Nursing as the disciplining authority for nursing assistants and adjust board membership to include current nursing assistants and modify licensed practical nurse representation, the House Health Care & Wellness Committee heard March 14.

Jim Morishima, committee staff, summarized the bill’s structural changes: the Board of Nursing would assume disciplinary authority currently held by the Department of Health, the board would add two nursing assistant members (required to be currently employed with at least two years’ experience), reduce licensed practical nurse membership from three to two, and add an additional registered nurse or nursing assistant who is a program director or educator at a nursing assistant education and training program.

Reuben Argell, director of nursing for the nursing assistant education program at the Board of Nursing, testified in support and said consolidating oversight under a single agency would promote alignment of education, credentialing and disciplinary processes and reduce public confusion. Argell said the board receives many nursing-assistant-related inquiries and that the proposed change would better align regulatory authority with operational practice.

Proponents described the change as ‘‘good government’’ and consistent with the board’s oversight of education programs and workforce development. The committee took no formal action during the hearing.