STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2869

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1881

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1881 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:

     (1)  Amend the composition of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing Advisory Board (Advisory Board) by decreasing the number of voting members on the Advisory Board to nine;

     (2)  Amend the membership of the Advisory Board to better facilitate the Hawaii State Center for Nursing's mission;

     (3)  Clarify term limits and appointments of members to the Advisory Board; and

     (4)  Amend certain powers and duties of the Advisory Board.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, Blood Bank of Hawaii, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and five individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Nursing.

     Your Committee finds that as the nursing profession transforms to meet a changing health care landscape, the ongoing process of developing a strategic plan requires the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to have an active, engaged Advisory Board with members capable of addressing workforce issues in a timely manner.

     Your Committee further finds that the six labor organization positions on the Advisory Board have not been filled for many years.  This has impeded the Advisory Board's ability to attain quorum for its monthly meetings and access relevant expertise.  This situation has also prevented prospective candidates from sitting on the Advisory Board and sharing expertise in relevant areas such as nursing practice, research, education, administration, and financing care.

     This measure will amend the composition of the Advisory Board to align itself more closely with other national nursing workforce centers and encourage collaboration of persons with the technical expertise, knowledge, and experience needed to assist the Hawaii State Center for Nursing fulfill its mission.

     Your Committee notes that the Board of Nursing testified that, due to the Board of Nursing's collaborative working relationship with the Advisory Board, it is not necessary for the Board of Nursing to have a position on the Advisory Board.  In addition, the Board of Nursing indicated that individuals with expertise in workforce issues would be helpful assets to the Advisory Board.

     As such, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the representative from the Board of Nursing as a voting member of the Advisory Board;

     (2)  Increasing the number of non-nurse voting members of the Advisory Board from three to four and specifying that those members' background or experience may also include workforce or representation of hospitals and acute care hospitals in the State; 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 Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1881, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1881, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair