STAND. COM. REP. NO. 558

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1596

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1596 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Health to:

(1) Identify one facility in each of the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui that has the capability to establish a Pearson VUE Authorized Test Center as a test site to administer a National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for nurses;

(2) Equip each identified facility with the technical and facility requirements necessary for a Pearson VUE Authorized Test Center; and

(3) Submit an application for each facility to Pearson Education, Inc. to be authorized and contracted as a Pearson VUE Authorized Test Center.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing.

Your Committee finds that there is currently one location in the State for newly graduated nursing students to take the NCLEX, which is the qualifier for initial nursing licensure as well as one of two options available to nurses who are seeking to reinstate their license. Your Committee further finds that the limitation of the testing site places a significant burden on many new graduates from other islands who are requested to pay for lodging, travel, and other related costs to take the test on Oahu. This measure provides equitable access for nurses located outside of Oahu to take the NCLEX and will improve the livelihood of the State's residents by making nursing a more accessible career.

Your Committee acknowledges the concerns raised in testimony by the Department of Health that this measure subverts the authority of the State Board of Nursing, who has the statutory authority over regulating, rulemaking, and monitoring nursing licensing and examinations in the State. Your Committee further believes that this measure may create parallel, duplicative, and unnecessary authorities to the Department of Health. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address this concern.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the State Board of Nursing, rather than the Department of Health to establish one Pearson VUE Authorized Test Center in each of the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui to offer and expand the testing availability of the NCLEX for nurses;

(2) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose;

(3) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) 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 Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1596, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1596, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair