STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3246

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 103

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 S.C.R. No. 103 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF ACT 226, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2007, ON NURSE AIDES WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN STATE-CERTIFIED OR STATE-LICENSED HEALTH CARE SETTINGS TO PROVIDE A BASIS FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO AMEND ACT 226, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2007,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a study of Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, which requires certification of nurse aides who work in state-licensed or state-certified health care settings, regarding the impact the Act has had on nurse aides and the costs for certification and competency evaluations.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Your Committees find that Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, parallels federal requirements by requiring nurse aides who work in nursing facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs to become certified.  In addition, Act 226 has allowed the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to better monitor and evaluate the competency of nurse aides practicing in the State.  Your Committees further find that an Auditor's impact study is necessary to assess the costs incurred since the enactment of Act 226 and potential future costs.

     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 concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 103 and recommend that it 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