Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SR112

Introduced

3/16/26

Refer

3/19/26

Report Pass

4/8/26

Passed

4/9/26

Caption

Requesting The Center For Nursing To Compile A Comprehensive List Of Recommended Safe Patient Staffing Ratios For All Nursing Specialties And Subspecialties Across All Health Care Settings And To Maintain A Repository For This Information.

Impact

SR112 aims to mature the existing legislative frameworks around nurse staffing by urging health facilities to implement ratios that ensure adequate personnel for the complexity of care needed. The resolution emphasizes that establishing such standards will not only help healthcare providers but also improve patient outcomes, including reduced hospital stays, fewer complications, and increased patient satisfaction. This shift represents a significant change towards providing better working conditions for nurses and enhancing the overall quality of care in Hawaii.

Summary

Senate Resolution 112 (SR112) requests the Center for Nursing to compile a comprehensive list of recommended safe patient staffing ratios for all nursing specialties and subspecialties across all healthcare settings in Hawaii. This resolution arises from growing public health concerns regarding safe patient staffing ratios, which are believed to influence the quality of care patients receive in hospitals. The nursing community, which is a crucial component of Hawaii's healthcare workforce, plays a vital role in ensuring effective patient care and safety.

Sentiment

The sentiment around SR112 appears to be supportive among healthcare advocates and members of the nursing community, who regard it as a necessary step towards creating a sustainable healthcare system. However, there may be concerns among some healthcare facilities about the logistics and potential costs associated with meeting the recommended staffing ratios. This highlights a tension between ensuring patient care quality and the practical implications for healthcare management.

Contention

Some notable points of contention include the challenges of implementing standardized staffing ratios in various healthcare settings that may have different patient needs and operational capacities. Additionally, while SR112 suggests that an adequate number of registered nurses are available in Hawaii, the pressure on these professionals due to stress and workload raises concerns about retention and recruitment in the nursing workforce. It will be important to monitor the operational responses of healthcare facilities to these staffing standards mandated by the resolution.

Companion Bills

HI SCR119

Same As Requesting The Center For Nursing To Compile A Comprehensive List Of Recommended Safe Patient Staffing Ratios For All Nursing Specialties And Subspecialties Across All Health Care Settings And To Maintain A Repository For This Information.

HI HR97

Same As Requesting The Hawaii State Center For Nursing To Compile A Comprehensive List Of Recommended Safe Patient Staffing Ratios For All Nursing Specialties And Subspecialities Across All Health Care Settings, And To Maintain A Repository For This Information.

Previously Filed As

HI SB119

Relating To Nursing.

HI HB62

Relating To Healthcare Facility Nurse Staffing.

HI SCR69

Requesting The Administrator Of The State Health Planning And Development Agency To Convene A Pharmacy Benefit Manager Working Group To Determine The Best Policies To Lower Drug Costs For Patient Consumers And Increase Access To Health Care.

HI SR173

Requesting The University Of Hawaii Community Colleges To Develop A Comprehensive List Of Bachelor's Degree Programs And Other Innovative Workforce Development Pathways That Directly Align With Job Opportunities And Industry Needs Within Their Respective Region Of Service.

HI SR37

Requesting The Department Of Human Resources Development To Conduct A Comprehensive Review Of The Boiler And Elevator Inspection Branch To Increase Personnel Recruitment And Retention.

HI HCR144

Requesting The Attorney General To Investigate Whether Crisis Pregnancy Centers Operating In The State Are Complying With Patient Privacy Regulations.

HI SR6

Urging The Administrator Of The State Health Planning And Development Agency To Establish A Working Group On Health Insurance Reform To Provide Recommendations For Reducing The Impact Of Prior Authorization Requirements On The Timely Delivery Of Health Care In The State.

HI HCR164

Urging The City And County Of Honolulu, County Of Maui, County Of Hawaii, And County Of Kauai To Create And Maintain A Comprehensive List Of Hurricane Refuges And Shelters Electronically Accessible To The Public.

HI SR198

Requesting The Department Of Health To Establish And Maintain A Tire Inventory Database.

HI SR53

Requesting The Administrator Of The State Health Planning And Development Agency To Convene A Pharmacy Benefit Manager Working Group To Determine The Best Policies To Reform Pharmacy Benefit Manager Practices In The State To Ensure Transparency And Fairness For Consumers And In The Pharmaceutical Sector, Lower Drug Costs For Patient Consumers, And Increase Access To Health Care.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.