STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2499

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2103

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2103, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize registered nurses to execute orders written by physician assistants acting within their scope of practice and acting as agents of their supervising physicians.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that this measure authorizes and clarifies conditions under which nurses may execute orders written by physician assistants.  This measure is aligned with the Board of Nursing's conclusion that nurses may execute orders given by physician assistants acting as agents of their supervising physicians.

     Your Committee further finds that situations may arise that require clear authorization and conditions under which licensed practical nurses may also act on orders from physician assistants acting as agents of their supervising physicians; therefore, similar amendments to the definition of "the practice of nursing as a licensed practical nurse" should be made.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the definition of "the practice of nursing as a licensed practical nurse" to include carrying out the orders of a licensed physician assistant practicing with physician supervision and acting as an agent of the supervising physician;

     (2)  Amending the purpose section to reflect the amended purpose of this measure; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2103, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2103, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair