Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2065 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to remove an unnecessary layer of oversight over advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) by:

The Board, University of Hawaii School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii Nurses' Association, Hawaii Chapter of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, Hawaii Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and many concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.

The Hawaii Medical Association, Board of Medical Examiners, and two physicians opposed this measure.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is the only state in which nurses are regulated under three separate agencies. The Board establishes rules for the practice of nursing, DCCA grants prescriptive authority, and the Board of Medical Examiners designates formularies. In the vast majority of states, APRN prescriptive authority is granted by the state's board of nursing.

Your Committee finds that the Board has the most relevant working knowledge of the qualifications of APRNs, and those with APRN licenses have a personal stake in ensuring that professional standards are upheld and are sufficient to protect the public. Your Committee finds that transferring regulatory oversight to the Board will not only increase the efficacy of the current regulatory system, but will also increase efficiency by reducing confusion that currently arises because of the tripartite system of regulation.

In addition, your Committee finds that the advisory committee established by the bill will ensure that APRNs are provided the advice and expertise of other related professions in establishing the APRN formulary, and will also allow health care professionals in related fields an opportunity to participate in the designation of the formulary.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2065, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2065, H.D. 1.