STAND. COM. REP. NO. 613
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 984
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Twenty-Ninth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2017
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 984 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION PHYSICIAN,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the definition of "physician" under workers' compensation law to include an advanced practice registered nurse.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Board of Nursing, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, American Organization of Nurse Executives Hawaii, Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses, ILWU Local 142, and thirteen individuals.
Your Committees find that advanced practice registered nurses provide a wide variety of health care services to people in Hawaii. Section 323-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires each hospital within the State to allow advanced practice registered nurses to practice within the full scope of their practice, including as primary care providers. Advanced practice registered nurses are also recognized as participating primary health care providers for insurance purposes under the State's insurance code.
Your Committees further find that Hawaii's workers' compensation law omits advanced practice registered nurses from the definition of physician. The outdated definition must be amended to authorize increased participation by advanced practice registered nurses and recognize appropriately trained advanced practice registered nurses as primary care providers. Authorizing increased participation by advanced practice registered nurses in the workers' compensation system will enable improved access to health care services, expedite the processing of paperwork, and provide optimal care at the initial point of access for injured workers, especially in rural and underserved areas.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 984 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,
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________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair |
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________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair |
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