BRN executive officer outlines 2026 sunset-review schedule, possible outcomes

Loretta Melby, executive officer for the Board of Registered Nursing, briefed the committee on Sept. 24 about the 2026 sunset-review process that affects the board’s nine‑member policy body and the BRN staff.

Melby described the typical timeline: legislative staff issue questions to the board as early as fall; the board prepares a data‑rich report and posts it for internal review in October; the full board is expected to approve and submit that report to legislative staff in January; a public hearing follows; and legislators use the record and stakeholder input to draft a bill that would extend, modify or — in rare cases — terminate the board’s statutory authority. Melby said a four‑year extension is the usual outcome and that the BRN had once briefly lapsed before an urgency bill reinstated the board.

The briefing included an explanation of what would happen if the board were not extended: the nine‑member policy board would cease to exist, BRN licensing, education and enforcement functions would continue in a bureau form under the Department of Consumer Affairs, and the executive officer — an appointee of the board president — would no longer hold that position. Melby said the board will propose statutory clarifications and regulatory changes where needed and will solicit stakeholder input through advisory committees before finalizing the sunset report.

Committee members welcomed the overview and several said watching the recorded hearings and reading prior sunset reports is useful context. No formal action was taken; the item was informational.