STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2578

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2146

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2146, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend from 2009 to 2014 one of the sources of funding for the center of nursing special fund.

     Additionally, this measure establishes a position for a non-managerial staff nurse on the advisory board of the Center for Nursing and requires the advisory board to submit reports on alternative funding for the center and nursing turnover and retention.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii, Maui Community College, the Hawaii State Center for Nursing Advisory Board, the Honolulu Community Action Program, the Queen's Medical Center, the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Nurses Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hospice Hawaii, and several concerned citizens.

     Your Committee finds that the center provides a valuable service to the community by addressing the critical nursing shortage issue in the State and will not be able to maintain its present level of commitment if its financial support is diminished.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2008.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2146, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2146, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair