STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2704

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2182

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2182 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CENTER FOR NURSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make permanent the assessment and deposit of Center for Nursing fees into the compliance resolution fund and the disbursement of those moneys to the Center for Nursing special fund.

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by the University of Hawaii System, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, American Organization of Nursing, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Center for Nursing has provided education, service, and research through collaborative leadership.

     Your Committee further finds that, because the Center receives operational funding from the assessment of the Center for Nursing fee or new or renewed nurse licenses, repeal of the fee would result in the closure of the Center for Nursing.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that the fee should be permanent in order to continue to fund the Center and its work in nursing research and workforce development.

     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. 2182 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair