HI SCR112

Hawaii State Center for Nursing is requested to convene a working group to study the feasibility and impact of Hawaii adopting the Nurse Licensure Compact, which would allow nurses to practice across state lines without obtaining additional licenses.

Working group must include representatives from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Board of Nursing, relevant Senate and House committees, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, and American Nurses Association–Hawaii Chapter.

Study must assess the Nurse Licensure Compact's potential impacts on the State's nursing workforce, fiscal obligations, workforce migration, regulation of out-of-state nurses, disciplinary actions, and other applicable matters.

Working group is requested to submit a report with findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2023 Regular Session of 2024.

As of March 2023, thirty-nine jurisdictions have already adopted the Nurse Licensure Compact; Hawaii currently has approximately 15,072 licensed registered nurses with an estimated 1,000 vacant nursing positions in 2022.