Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3277 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require all practicing nurse aides, working in state licensed or state certified health care settings, to be certified.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, and the Hawaii Long-term Care Association. Your Committee received testimony from the Executive Officer for the Nurse Aide Program in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in support of the measure and offering amendments.

Your Committee finds that all nurse aides need to be appropriately certified to ensure quality health care services.

Your Committee further finds that the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Executive Officer for the Nurse Aide Program in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs have been collaborating to develop an integrated approach to certify nurse aides regardless of the setting in which they practice. These departments continue to work together to monitor and ensure the continuation of high standards of quality health care.

Your Committee amended this measure by:

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 S.B. No. 3277, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3277, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing.