Report Title:

UH; Nursing; Center for Nursing, Center for Nursing Special Fund, and Center for Nursing Fee; Established

Description:

Establishes a center for nursing at the University of Hawaii, governed by an advisory board. Requires center to conduct research on workforce issues for nurses and other assistive healthcare personnel. Requires an unspecified percentage of all revenues collected by board of nursing to be deposited into center for nursing special fund. (SD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

422

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO A CENTER FOR NURSING.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a need for a state center for nursing to ensure the quality of healthcare for the people of Hawaii. The center can proactively address issues of the State's current and future shortage of registered nurses and others within the healthcare workforce that provide nursing care. In particular, the primary nursing workforce issues are the supply and demand for nursing services, recruitment and retention of nurses and other healthcare personnel, and the development of a strategic plan.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a center for nursing to address nursing workforce issues.

SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"CHAPTER

CENTER FOR NURSING

§ -1 Center for nursing; established. (a) There is established within the University of Hawaii school of nursing and dental hygiene, a center for nursing.

(b) The dean of the school of nursing and dental hygiene, or the dean's designee, shall direct the activities of the center for nursing. There shall be an advisory board composed of fifteen members appointed by the governor pursuant to section 26-34 to staggered terms as follows:

(1) Five members from the business and labor community, one of whom shall represent the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, two of whom shall represent other business entities, and two of whom shall represent labor organizations;

(2) Five members from the nursing profession, one of whom shall represent the American Organization of Nurse Executives, one of whom shall represent the Hawaii Government Employees Association, and three of whom shall represent the Hawaii Nurses' Association, professional component;

(3) Two members from among the State's nurse educators, one of whom shall be a doctorally-prepared nurse educator and the other a doctorally-prepared nurse researcher; and

(4) Three members from community agencies or consumer groups with an interest in healthcare.

(c) The members of the advisory board for the center for nursing shall serve without compensation.

§ -2 Board; powers and duties. The advisory board of the center for nursing shall have the powers and duty to:

(1) Employ an executive director and no more than two other staff positions, at least one of whom shall be an independent doctorally-prepared nurse researcher;

(2) Adopt a mission statement and operational policy;

(3) Elect a chairperson;

(4) Establish committees of the board as needed;

(5) Seek input from individuals and community groups interested in the issue of nursing shortages;

(6) Implement the major functions of the center for nursing; and

(7) Seek and accept non-state funds for carrying out the mission of the center for nursing.

§ -3 Functions of the center. The center for nursing shall perform the following functions:

(1) Collect and analyze data and prepare and disseminate written reports and recommendations regarding the current and future status and trends of the nursing workforce;

(2) Conduct research on best practices and quality outcomes;

(3) Develop a plan for implementing strategies to recruit and retain nurses; and

(4) Research, analyze, and report data related to the retention of the nursing workforce.

§ -4 Collaboration. The University of Hawaii school of nursing and dental hygiene, the state board of nursing, other schools of nursing within the State, professional nursing organizations, employers in the healthcare industry, and labor unions representing nurses and healthcare workers shall collaborate with the center for nursing and provide workforce data to the center for nursing when requested.

§ -5 Center for nursing special fund. There is established in the treasury of the State a center for nursing special fund into which shall be deposited any legislative appropriations, federal or private grants, and any other funds collected for the purposes of this chapter. The fund shall be administered by the board of regents of the University of Hawaii and moneys in the fund shall be expended to support the center's activities. The special fund shall not be subject to sections 36-27 and 36-30 relating to special fund reimbursements to the state general fund."

SECTION 3. Chapter 457, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§457- Center for nursing fee. Upon the issuance of a new license and at each license renewal period, each nurse shall pay an additional fee of $40, which shall be kept in a separate account in the compliance resolution fund established pursuant to section 26-9(o). The fee shall not be assessed after June 30, 2009."

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the compliance resolution fund the sum of $       or so much thereof as may be necessary of moneys collected pursuant to section 457- , Hawaii Revised Statutes, for fiscal year 2003-2004 for deposit into the center for nursing special fund.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the center for nursing special fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004 to the center for nursing to perform its duties under this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. The center for nursing shall submit a status report on its activities to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2004.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.