STAND. COM. REP. NO. 541-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1387
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which
was referred H.B. No. 1387, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to change the composition of the
nine-member State Board of Nursing (Board), from:

     (1)  Five registered nurses (RNs), one of whom is also an
          advance practice registered nurse (APRN);

     (2)  Two licensed practical nurses (LPNs); and

     (3)  Two public members,

to:

     (1)  Six RNs, one of whom is also an APRN;

     (2)  One LPN; and

     (3)  Two public members.

The bill also includes provisions allowing LPN board members
serving on the board on the effective date of the bill to serve
out the remainder of their terms.


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 541-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee heard testimony in support of this measure
from the Board and the Hawai'i Nurses' Association.

     The Board testified that the majority of issues that the
Board had addressed for over a decade have been related to the
practices of RNs and APRNs and that LPN practice has not been
addressed except in an indirect and nonsubstantive manner.  In
addition, RN and APRN issues are becoming increasingly complex,
requiring specialized knowledge and experience, and LPNs do not
always possess the expertise needed to contribute to discussion
of these issues.  Testifiers stated that LPN representation was
still needed on the Board, but that a single LPN would suffice,
and substitution of another RN would better assist the Board to
make consumer safety decisions.

     Your Committee has made extensive technical, nonsubstantive
amendments to this measure for purposes of clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 1387, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto
as H.B. No. 1387, H.D. 2.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   RON MENOR, Chair