STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2505

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2492

       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 Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2492, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve patient access to medical care by clarifying the circumstances under which advanced practice registered nurses may practice their profession to the fullest extent of their training and education.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Nursing, Disability and Communication Access Board, Pali Momi Medical Center, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and eight individuals.

     Your Committee finds that advanced practice registered nurses provide a wide variety of health care services and are recognized as participating primary health care providers for insurance purposes under the State's Insurance Code.  However, certain sections within the Hawaii Revised Statutes omit advanced practice registered nurses from the definitions or designations of health care entities who may provide health care, prescribe drugs, or sign forms.  These obsolete or outdated statutes create barriers to consumer access to high quality health care provided by advanced practice registered nurses.  Your Committee further finds that this measure amends these obsolete or outdated statutes, thereby enabling advanced practice registered nurses to provide quality health care to patients to the full extent of their education and training.

     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. 2492, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair