A significant victory by PANA is helping to protect CRNAs’ ability to continue providing essential anesthesia care without unnecessary licensing requirements.
Through PANA’s legislative advocacy, CRNAs were specifically included in a provision of Senate Bill 1334, which passed both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and was signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro on Oct. 22, 2026.
While the legislation establishes new licensing requirements for medical imaging professionals, PANA successfully advocated for language explicitly exempting CRNAs from having to obtain additional medical imaging licenses when performing procedures within their existing scope of practice.
The distinction is important.
CRNAs routinely use medical imaging technology, including ultrasound guidance, to safely perform procedures such as peripheral nerve blocks, invasive line insertions and other essential components of anesthesia care. These skills are already part of our education, training and professional practice.
However, when CRNAs were not specifically included in the legislation's original language, PANA recognized a potential threat. Without explicit protections, the new licensing requirements could have created an opening for some opponents to challenge or restrict CRNAs' ability to perform procedures they are already qualified to provide.
PANA worked to address that concern, securing an amendment that specifically recognizes CRNAs among the health-care professionals exempt from the additional licensing requirements.
More importantly, the inclusion reinforces that medical imaging used in the delivery of anesthesia care falls within a CRNA's established scope of practice – an important affirmation of our professional training, clinical expertise and ability to deliver safe, high-quality anesthesia care.
This achievement also demonstrates why PANA's presence in Harrisburg matters.
Legislation affecting health-care professionals can have significant consequences, even when those consequences are not immediately apparent. By closely monitoring proposals, identifying potential threats and advocating for its members, PANA helped to ensure that a new law would not create unnecessary barriers to CRNA practice.
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