STAND. COM. REP. NO.  108-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2205

      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 Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2205 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR NURSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure quality health care by requiring state-licensed nurses to complete 15 hours of continuing education during each two-year license period to renew a state license.

     The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at the University of Hawaii, Manoa and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  Kaiser Permanente and the Hawaii Government Employees Association supported the intent of this measure.  The Board of Nursing opposed this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Applying the requirement to licenses that must be renewed by June 30, 2013 and after;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2205, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2205, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair