STAND. COM. REP. NO.  793

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 811

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 811, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ease Hawaii's registered nurse licensure requirements for graduates of foreign nursing schools (foreign graduates) by requiring the Board of Nursing (Board) to have foreign graduates applying for licensure in Hawaii arrange for the applicant's school to send to the Board:

(1)  The "Breakdown of Educational Program for International Nursing Programs" form; and

(2)  A certified school transcript for the applicant, translated to English, if necessary.

This bill also removes the requirement that a Foreign Graduate's transcripts be evaluated by professional evaluators designated by the Board.

     The Representative of the 42^nd District, National Federation of Filipino American Associations Region XII, the Filipino American Citizens League, the Oahu Filipino Community Council, the Filipino Coalition for Solidarity, the United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Nursing Advocates & Mentors, Inc., The Philippine Nurses Association Hawaii, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Board, the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, and several concerned individuals opposed this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 811, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair