STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2928

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2274

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2274, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CENTER FOR NURSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist the Hawaii Center for Nursing in its nursing workforce recruitment and development efforts.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires that each nursing license applicant respond to the Hawaii Center for Nursing's workforce supply survey in conjunction with each nursing license renewal;

(2) Clarifies that nursing license renewal is not contingent upon responding to the workforce supply survey and that failure of an applicant to properly respond to the workforce supply survey does not result in an encumbrance on the applicant's license; and

(3) Increases the Hawaii Center for Nursing fee from $40 to $60 per licensing biennium.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Center for Nursing; University of Hawaii, Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing; Queen's Health Systems; and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Board of Nursing.

Your Committee finds that by requiring nursing license applicants to respond to the Hawaii Center for Nursing's workforce supply survey, this measure will enable policy makers and health care leaders throughout the State to plan for future nursing workforce development more effectively.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the failure of a nursing license applicant to properly complete the Hawaii Center for Nursing's supply survey will not result in the forfeiture of the applicant's nursing license;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2274, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2274, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair