STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1155-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2146

      S.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Higher Education and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2146, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to support the activities of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing (Center) in conducting research and implementing strategies to recruit and retain nurses.  This bill:

     (1)  Allows the Center to continue receiving funds by extending by five years, the sunset date for the deposit of certain nursing fees into the Center for Nursing Special Fund;

     (2)  Requires two of the three representatives of the Hawaii Nurses' Association who sit on the advisory board of the Center to represent the professional component, and one representative to be a non-managerial staff nurse; and

     (3)  Requires the Center's advisory board to submit reports to the Legislature prior to the 2009 Regular Session as follows:

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

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

     The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Board of Nursing, Hawaii Pacific Health, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, The Queen's Medical Center, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Statewide Consortium for Nursing, Hale Kipa, Inc., and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association supported the intent of this measure.  Several concerned individuals opposed this bill.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2146, S.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Health,

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

____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Chair