H.B. 302 Summary

• Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) licensed under Hawaii law to order, assess, and certify home health care eligibility for Medicare beneficiaries, provided they practice within their appropriate specialty and hold valid licenses.

• Allows APRNs to certify whether a person is totally disabled under Hawaii's state income tax code, expanding this authority beyond physicians and osteopathic physicians.

• Empowers APRNs to make mental capacity determinations for advance mental health care directives, either independently (for recovery of capacity) or jointly with another physician, APRN, or licensed psychologist (for lack of capacity).

• Designates APRNs as primary providers in advance mental health care directives and updates related terminology throughout Chapter 327G from "primary physician" to "primary provider" to reflect expanded scope.

• Provides protections from criminal prosecution, civil liability, and professional discipline for APRNs acting in good faith when determining patient capacity for mental health directives.