CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 129

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2009

RE:    H.B. No. 1378

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1378, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to increase access to health care by:

     (1)  Recognizing advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) as participating primary health care providers for insurance purposes;

     (2)  Authorizing APRNs to sign documents relating to health care for their patients;

     (3)  Clarifying educational and other requirements for APRNs; and

     (4)  Clarifying APRNs' authority with regard to prescriptions for drugs, medical equipment, and therapeutic regimens.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1)  Requiring the Insurance Commissioner to perform a review in two years and report any findings to the Legislature prior to the 2012 Regular Session on the effects of expanding the scope of APRNs' professional responsibilities; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1378, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1378, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair	____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Co-Chair
____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Co-Chair
	____________________________ MARILYN B. LEE, Co-Chair