STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1524

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 302

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 302, H.D. 1, 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:

(1) Authorize advanced practice registered nurses to order and certify home health care for Medicare beneficiaries;

(2) Authorize advanced practice registered nurses to certify whether a person is totally disabled under the state income tax code;

(3) Authorize advanced practice registered nurses to make capacity determinations; and

(4) Add advanced practice registered nurses as primary providers in advance mental health care directives. 

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii American Nurses Association, Hawai‘i Psychological Association, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Taxation, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and Prime Care Services Hawai‘i.

Your Committee finds that advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are recognized as primary care providers who may practice independently based on their practice specialty, including psychiatric mental health. Existing law authorizes APRNs to sign, certify, and endorse all documents relating to health care within their scope of practice in caring for their patients. APRNs further play a significant role in providing care to underserved communities and underinsured patients. This measure removes barriers in existing law to enable APRNs to exercise their full scope of practice and expands access to important healthcare services for Hawaii residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 302, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 302, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair