STAND. COM. REP. NO. 528

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 321

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 321 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE COMPACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to adopt the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the United States Department of Defense, AlohaCare, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, Hawaii Society of Anesthesiologists, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Association for Justice, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Hawai‘i – American Nurses Association, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and Hawai‘i Association of Professional Nurses.

Your Committee finds that there is a shortage of health care service providers in the State, particularly in rural and underserved communities. A 2021 report from the Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing estimated that more than three hundred nurses are needed throughout the State to meet the demand for care. To address the shortage of nurses in the State, this measure would adopt the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact to encourage recruitment of advanced practice registered nurses to the State. In addition, your Committee notes the number of concerns raised in testimony submitted to your Committee regarding scope of practice under the Compact and licensure and regulation standards, including a requirement for postgraduate practice hours. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address these concerns.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its contents and inserting language that:

(A) Establishes a working group to study the

feasibility and effects of the State adopting the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact;

(B) Designates the membership composition of the

working group; and

(C) Requires the working group to submit a report to

the Legislature;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 321, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 321, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair