STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3111

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 167

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 167, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE CENTER FOR NURSING TO EVALUATE THE NEED FOR AND RESOURCES REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH A CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR NURSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing to examine the establishment of a continuing education requirement for all nursing license renewals and a Hawaii nursing continuing education program in terms of feasibility, benefits, costs, obstacles, and a potential timeframe.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii and one individual.  Testimony in support of the intent of this measure with amendments was submitted by the Board of Nursing and the Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that instituting a continuing education requirement and program for nurses in Hawaii will improve the quality of care that they provide by ensuring that their medical knowledge is up-to-date.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the representative from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing from the membership of the joint advisory committee;

     (2)  Providing more flexibility in the timeframe for submission of the final report and dissolving the committee in acknowledgement of the Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing's concerns; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes to ensure clarity and accuracy in the language of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 167, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 167, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair