STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1530
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2021
RE: H.R. No. 100
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2021
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.R. No. 100 entitled:
"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT AN ANALYSIS OF ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Medical Board, University of Hawai‘i System, and Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing.
Your Committee finds that the State's health care system has been in a state of crisis since before the COVID-19 pandemic, which only exacerbated and further highlighted its shortcomings. Your Committee further finds that rural and neighbor island communities have a physician shortage restricting access to health care. Advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistances are highly trained health care professionals who may assist in increasing the supply of health care providers to those communities in need.
Your Committee further finds that multiple measures have been introduced in the Legislature addressing the scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses in a piecemeal fashion, rather than considering the broader scope of practice of advanced practice registered nurses and their role in the State's health care system. This measure will provide valuable information to make informed policy decisions in determining the role of advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants in the State's health care system.
Your Committee notes that this measure is intended to be a complementary measure to H.R. No. 99, H.D. 1 (Regular Session of 2021) and that it is the intent that the findings under this measure will inform the working group established under H.R. No. 99, H.D. 1 of the data and information necessary to fulfill the working group's tasks.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that the analysis include an examination of potential scope of practice limitations in the Hawaii Administrative Rules;
(2) Clarifying that the Legislative Reference Bureau needs to only submit its findings in the report to the Legislature; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 100, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 100, H.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,
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____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair |
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