STAND. COM. REP. NO.  299-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2160

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2160 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSE AIDES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to require a competency evaluation approved by the Department of Human Services (DHS) for certified nurse aides (CNA), which shall be included as biannual competency evaluation hours and maintenance requirements.

     Several concerned individuals supported this bill with amendments.  The Adult Foster Homecare Association and The Primary Care Providers supported the intent of this measure.  DHS opposed this bill.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs submitted comments.

     Your Committees find that continuing education requirements are important to ensure the health and safety of people being cared for by CNAs.  However, it is of great concern to your Committees that while CNAs are required to obtain 24 hours of continuing education credits every two years, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are not subject to similar requirements.  This inequity in the follow-up training required of these critical health care providers should be looked into further and addressed.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1)  Deleting provisions providing that biannual maintenance and continuing education hours required for nurse aides include a competency evaluation approved by DHS;

(2)  Providing that statutory requirements for recertification nurse aides will preempt any other state law to the contrary;

(3)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2160, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2160, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health,

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair