STAND. COM. REP. NO.  748

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 354

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 354, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require all non-exempt licensed registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to complete continuing competency requirements prior to submitting an application for license renewal, restoration, or reinstatement, beginning July 1, 2017.

The University of Hawaii System, Board of Nursing (Board), Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Pacific Health, Wilcox Memorial Hospital, Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, Straub Clinic & Hospital, Prime Care Services Hawaii, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Queen's Health Systems provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that each registered and practical nurse licensee shall have completed one of the learning activity options recognized by the Board within the two-year period preceding the renewal date;

     (2)  Specifying that practical nurses licensed in this State who also maintain current national certification, approved by the Board, in their practice role are exempt from the continuing competency requirements;

     (3)  Adding continuing education options that a licensee who graduated or completed pre-licensure requirements more than twelve months but less than two years prior to the renewal date shall take prior to the first renewal period;

     (4)  Removing the orientation of an employee as a learning activity option;

     (5)  Specifying that the learning activity option consisting of completion as principal or co-principal investigator of a nursing research or evidence-based practice project shall be an Institution Review Board project; and

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 H.B. No. 354, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 354, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair