CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 182-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 63

S.D. 2

H.D. 3

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 63, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Board of Nursing to issue temporary permits for six-month periods to out-of-state licensed practical nurses and registered nurses or nurses who hold a multistate license issued by another state, territory, or foreign country, under certain circumstances;

(2) Provide an exception from licensing requirements to nurses who are licensed in another state, territory, or foreign country and accompanying a patient from out-of-state for a period of less than two weeks and who are not employed or affiliated with a health care entity in the State; and

(3) Appropriate funds to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to implement the regulation of nurses as required by this measure.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the State is experiencing a chronic shortage of medical professionals statewide. This measure establishes a streamlined procedure for certain nurses who are not licensed in the State to practice in the State under a temporary permit valid for six months, and requires the Board of Nursing to issue temporary permits within ten business days of the date the completed application is received to help alleviate the strain on the existing nursing workforce.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language clarifying that the Board of Nursing may issue a temporary permit to a practical nurse or registered nurse licensed in another jurisdiction who meets certain criteria;

(2) Inserting language clarifying that the Board of Nursing may issue a temporary permit to a nurse who currently holds a multistate license issued by another state, territory, or country; provided that the individual meets certain criteria;

(3) Deleting language that would have provided that temporary permits issued pursuant to this measure would in no case be valid for more than a period of six month from the date of issuance and that a new and separate temporary permit may be issued under certain conditions;

(4) Inserting language that, beginning July 1, 2025:

(A) Allows an out-of-state registered nurse or licensed practical nurse to apply for a temporary permit simultaneously with an application for a license to practice as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse in the State;

(B) Requires any out-of-state registered nurse or licensed practical nurse applying simultaneously for a temporary permit and license to practice to submit only one application with a single, non-refundable fee as prescribed by the Board of Nursing; and

(C) Requiring the simultaneous temporary permit to be issued within ten business days of the date the completed application is received by the Board of Nursing under certain conditions and to be valid until the time the Board of Nursing approves the individual's application for a license to practice as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, but no longer than one year;

(5) Inserting language allowing the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to employ necessary personnel without regard to chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes, including one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent Office Assistant, for the purposes of this measure;

(6) Deleting language that would have made an appropriation;

(7) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2024; and

(8) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 63, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 63, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Co-Chair
____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA Co-Chair	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Co-Chair
____________________________ JENNA TAKENOUCHI Co-Chair