Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1566
4
5 By: Representative McClure
6 By: Senator A. Clark
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO REQUIRE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE PRACTICAL
10 NURSING PROGRAM CORE CURRICULUM TO INCREASE
11 CONSISTENCY IN PRACTICAL NURSING EDUCATION; AND FOR
12 OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 TO REQUIRE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE
17 PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM CORE
18 CURRICULUM TO INCREASE CONSISTENCY IN
19 PRACTICAL NURSING EDUCATION.
20
21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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23 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 61, Subchapter 1, is amended
24 to add an additional section to read as follows:
25 6-61-144. Statewide practical nursing program core curriculum.
26 (a) The General Assembly finds that:
27 (1) There are inconsistencies between practical nursing programs
28 in institutions of higher education across the state;
29 (2) These inconsistencies include varying lengths of clinical
30 hours, class hours, and credit hours;
31 (3) However, no identified correlations have been found between
32 the length of the practical nursing programs and pass rates of the
33 examinations for licensing as a practical nurse; and
34 (4) Adopting a statewide practical nursing program core
35 curriculum would result in consistency in practical nursing programs and help
36 improve practical nursing programs by strengthening assessment and evaluation
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HB1566
1 measures, streamlining collaborative efforts between practical nursing
2 programs, and providing practical nursing program structure for novice
3 directors, new practical nursing programs, and institutions of higher
4 education.
5 (b) On or before the 2029-2030 academic school year, all practical
6 nursing program in this state shall adopt the practical nursing program core
7 curriculum developed by the Nurse Administrators of Nursing Education
8 Programs as an advisory group to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, in
9 accordance with the rules of the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
10 (c) The practical nursing program core curriculum under subsection (b)
11 of this section shall:
12 (1) Consist of forty-four (44) credit hours;
13 (2) Allow each practical nursing program to:
14 (A) Determine the breakdown of didactic, laboratory, and
15 clinical hours for each course;
16 (B) Include additional standards to maintain additional
17 accreditation or institutional requirements; and
18 (C) Have time to meet the course learning outcomes and
19 standards of the rules of the board;
20 (3) Have two (2) options to allow certified nurse aides and
21 medication assistive persons to receive credit for prior learning without
22 being required to take redundant coursework; and
23 (4) Be reviewed periodically by the Nurse Administrators of
24 Nursing Education Programs to ensure consistency among the practical nursing
25 programs and to update courses for scientific and technological advancements
26 in nursing.
27 (d) The Nurse Administrators of Nursing Education Programs and the
28 board shall identify and address areas of concern that may arise in the
29 implementation of the practical nursing program core curriculum.
30
31 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 17-87-304(a)(2), concerning the
32 qualifications for applicants for a practical nursing license, is amended to
33 read as follows:
34 (2)(A) Has completed a prescribed curriculum as provided under �
35 6-61-144 in a state-approved program for the preparation of practical nurses
36 and holds a diploma or certificate therefrom.
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HB1566
1 (B) However, the board may waive this the requirement
2 under subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section if the board determines the
3 applicant to be otherwise qualified.
4
5 SECTION 3. DO NOT CODIFY. Multi-phase adoption plan.
6 (a) Beginning with the 2025-2026 academic school year, a small group
7 of the practical nursing programs shall pilot the practical nursing program
8 core curriculum developed by the Nurse Administrators of Nursing Education
9 Programs as an advisory group to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, in
10 accordance with the rules of the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
11 (b)(1) The Nurse Administrators of Nursing Education Programs and the
12 board shall identify and address areas of concern that may arise in the
13 implementation of the practical nursing program core curriculum in the first
14 year and make any necessary changes to the statewide practical nursing
15 program core curriculum.
16 (2) The Nurse Administrators of Nursing Education Programs and
17 the board shall report to the General Assembly regarding any changes to the
18 statewide practical nursing program core curriculum based on the first
19 academic school year.
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3 01/30/2025 8:50:38 AM JMB020Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.