STAND

 

STAND. COM. REP. 2379

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2899

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2899 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to revise licensing and other provisions regulating the nursing profession, and make housekeeping amendments.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Chapter of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners/Nurses, Hawaii Nurses Association, Hawaii Association of Nurse Executives, and a nurse. Testimony in opposition was received from a nurse.

Your Committee finds that it is important to modify and improve laws to best suit the practice of nursing and the proposed amendments offered in this measure are important in maintaining the quality of nursing in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the exemption of graduates of a board-approved practical nursing program at an educational institution in a foreign jurisdiction from an English proficiency examination; and

(2) Requiring a report to the Legislature.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2899, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2899, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

		____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair