STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1584-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2491

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 S.B. No. 2491 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to replace the term "advanced practice registered nurse recognition" with "advanced practice registered nurse licensure" to align Hawaii law with national standards.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Nursing, the University of Hawaii System, the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and several individuals.

     Your Committee finds that advanced practice registered nurses face a barrier to licensure in other states that do not equate Hawaii's statutory "recognition" of advanced practice registered nurse status with "licensure."  Your Committee further finds that the titling change provided by this measure does not affect licensure or relicensure requirements or scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses, but will remove an obstacle to portability for those advanced practice registered nurses who choose to practice in another state or in multiple states.

     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 S.B. No. 2491 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