STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3043

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2134

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2134, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CENTER FOR NURSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to continue the financial support of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing (Center).

     Specifically, this measure extends, for one year, the sunset date on the provisions of Act 198, Session Laws of Hawaii 2003, that establish the Center for Nursing fee and the deposit and disbursement of those nursing licensure fees into the Compliance Resolution Fund for the Center.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Nursing, The Queen's Medical Center, the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Pacific Health, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing, Hawaii Government Employees Association and thirty-one individuals.  The Hawaii Nurses' Association and thirty-five individuals submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committees find that the Center provides a valuable service to the health care community by addressing issues related to the nursing shortage, particularly those issues relating to recruitment and retention of registered nurses and nursing faculty.  Financial support of the Center is essential for the continuance of its purpose and operations.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by inserting language that:

     (1)  Extends the sunset date on section 10 of Act 198, Session Laws of Hawaii 2003, five years to July 1, 2014;

     (2)  Establishes a non-managerial staff nurse member on the advisory board for the Hawaii Center for Nursing; and

     (3)  Requires the advisory board for the Hawaii Center for Nursing to submit to the Legislature:

          (A)  An interim report on the progress and findings of the five-year longitudinal study currently being conducted by the Center regarding new graduate registered nurses turnover and best practices in retention of nurses; and

          (B)  A report on funding alternatives that will enable the Center to continue its operations and services.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2134, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2134, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair