Rosemont, Ill.  Ohio has enacted legislation updating and modernizing outdated statutes governing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).

The law modernizes Ohio’s anesthesia statutes to better align state law with the needs of today’s healthcare delivery.  House Bill 52 replaces the statutory requirement for physician supervision with a collaborative framework that reflects how anesthesia teams currently function in many healthcare settings.   

“For decades, CRNAs and physicians have worked together as part of coordinated anesthesia teams,” said bill sponsor state representative Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk).  “House Bill 52 recognizes that reality by updating Ohio Law to reflect collaborative models of care while maintaining a strong focus on patient safety.”  With the passage of House Bill 52, Ohio becomes the 45th state to update the CRNA-physician relationship.

On March 10, 2026, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 52 into law, updating outdated and unclear requirements for CRNAs and replacing them with modern, streamlined language that reflects current training, practice standards, and patient care models. The law goes into effect on June 8, 2026.

“The American Association of Nuse Anesthesiology applauds Gov. DeWine for recognizing the importance of Ohio CRNAs,” said AANA President Jeff Molter, MBA, MSN, CRNA. “CRNAs put their patients’ well-being first. Under this legislation, CRNAs retain the authority to perform essential clinical tasks, while removing outdated restrictions. This will ensure patients’ continued access to safe, high-quality anesthesia care throughout Ohio, especially in rural and underserved areas.” The Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (OSANA) advocated successfully for this law, which was sponsored by Ohio State Representative Kellie Deeter, DNP, CRNA, CNP.

“We are deeply grateful to Representative Kellie Deeter (54^th District) for championing this legislation with clarity and conviction,” said Kimberly Riviello, CRNA, President of OSANA. “Her advocacy, along with the unified support of CRNAs across the state, made this victory possible.”

Each year, CRNAs safely administer more than 58 million anesthetics to patients in the United States. CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered: traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; ketamine clinics; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; and U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.