STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2509

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2489

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2489, 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:

 

     (1)  Amend the composition of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing Advisory Board (Advisory Board) by decreasing the number of voting members on the Advisory Board to nine;

 

     (2)  Amend the membership of the Advisory Board to better facilitate the Hawaii State Center for Nursing's mission;

 

     (3)  Clarify term limits and appointments of members to the Advisory Board; and

 

     (4)  Amend certain powers and duties of the Advisory Board.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Nursing and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that as the nursing profession transforms to meet a changing health care landscape, the ongoing process of developing a strategic plan requires the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to have an active, engaged Advisory Board with members capable of addressing workforce issues in a timely manner.

 

     Your Committee further finds that this measure amends the composition of the Advisory Board to align itself more closely with other national nursing workforce centers and encourages collaboration of persons with the technical expertise, knowledge, and experience needed to assist the Hawaii State Center for Nursing with its mission.

 

     Your Committee notes that the Board of Nursing indicated in testimony that, due to the Board of Nursing's collaborative working relationship with the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, it is not necessary for the Board of Nursing to have a position on the Advisory Committee.  In addition, other testimony received by your Committee indicated that individuals with expertise in workforce issues or who represent acute care providers in the health care community would be helpful assets to the Advisory Board.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the representative from the Board of Nursing as a voting member of the Advisory Board;

 

     (2)  Increasing the number of non-nurse voting members of the advisory board from three to four and specifying that these members' background or experience may also include workforce or representation of hospitals and acute care hospitals in the State; 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 Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2489, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2489, S.D. 2.

 


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

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair