STAND. COM. REP. NO. 600

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 26

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 26, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to eliminate multiple fees for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Prohibits fees relating to the grant of prescriptive authority for APRNs; and

     (2)  Limits APRN fees to registered nurse licensing fees and the Center for Nursing fee paid by every nurse for license issuances and renewals.

     This measure also requires nurses, when renewing their licenses and paying the license renewal fee, to complete a survey as deemed necessary by the Hawaii State Center for Nursing.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from Jo Ann Uchida, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Regulated Industries Complaints Office; and Lee Ann Teshima, Executive Officer, Board of Nursing.

     Your Committee finds that APRNs are required to pay multiple professional fees that include registered nurse licensing, APRN licensing, and certification of prescriptive authority.  Consequently, APRNs are treated differently from members of other professions regulated by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and the imposition of multiple fees poses potential barriers to APRN licensure and practice.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 26, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 26, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair