STAND. COM. REP. NO.  816-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2099

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2099, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure amends various sections of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to add advanced practice registered nurses to specified health care providers, including physicians or physician assistants, who are authorized to certify certain medical conditions or related matter and are protected from certain unfair insurer practices.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Nursing, two individuals from the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and five individuals.  Comments on the measure were received from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will enable advanced practice registered nurses to practice their profession to the full extent of their training and education, particularly with regard to their global signature authority, which authorizes them to sign, certify, or endorse all documents relating to health care within their scope of practice provided for their patients.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2099, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair