STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1303

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 713

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 713, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure quality health care by allowing the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Department of Human Services (DHS), and Department of Health (DOH) to monitor and evaluate the quality and competency of nurse aides practicing in the state by providing for the certification and recertification of nurse aides (NA) who work in nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs and in other state-licensed and state-certified health care settings.

     The Healthcare Association of Hawaii and Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs supported this bill.  DCCA, Hawaii Long Term Care Association, and Hawaii Coalition of Care Home Administrators supported this measure with amendments.  DOH and DHS submitted comments.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1)  Making the Director of Human Services responsible for approving and arranging for the recertification process for NAs who work in Medicare or Medicaid certified nursing facilities and in state-licensed or state-certified health care settings;

(2)  Requiring an annual performance review as part of the Medicare or Medicaid NA recertification process;

(3)  Requiring the Director of Health to implement procedures related to disciplining certified NAs employed in nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs;

(4)  Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

(5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 713, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 713, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing,

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair

____________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair