Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2981, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make permanent the Board of Nursing's power to grant prescriptive authority to qualified advance practice registered nurses.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii Medical Association, the Hawaii Chapter of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners/Nurses, and the Hawaii Nurses Association.

Your Committee finds that a formulary exists that consists of three physicians, three pharmacists, and three advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). This formulary was placed under the jurisdiction of the Board of Medical Examiners (BME). APRNs, however, currently operate under an unnecessarily restrictive arbitrary formulary governed by the BME. Concerns have been raised that the BME has not been timely in producing and updating approved formularies for APRNs. Absent input from APRNs, a formulary cannot be developed without the knowledge of their function and any other issues they may face in their daily practice. The establishment of an advisory committee under the Board of Nursing would be more supportive and allow APRNs to function to their maximum capabilities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and replacing it with the contents of S.B. No. 3085, S.D. 2, which retains provisions relating to the existence of the Joint Formulary Advisory Committee, the collegial working relationship with licensed physicians, and a means for a reporting system.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2981, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2981, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.