STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1659

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 71

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 71, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSE AIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to monitor and evaluate the quality of nurse aides practicing in the State by providing a process for the certification and recertification of nurse aides who work in nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs and in other state-licensed and state-certified health care settings.

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Department of Human Services, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and Hawaii Long Term Care Association.  Written comments were also submitted by the Department of Health.

     Your Committee finds that nurse aides provide a valuable service in the health care community by assisting nurses in a variety of health care settings.  Many become nurse aides on the path toward becoming licensed practical nurses or registered nurses.  Your Committee further finds that in order to ensure minimum levels of competency and for the health and safety of patients, nurse aides in Hawaii should be regulated.  This measure establishes procedures for the certification and recertification of nurse aides, including those who work in state-licensed and state-certified health care settings that do not receive Medicare or Medicaid funding.  Your Committee determines that the regulation of nurse aides will allow the Departments of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Human Services, and Health to appropriately monitor and evaluate the quality and competency of nurse aides practicing in the State.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by making numerous technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style, including, among other things:

     (1)  Clarifying that Medicare or Medicaid nurse aides shall not be charged for maintenance of the nurse aide registry; and

     (2)  Providing internal references to new sections.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 71, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 71, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair