NOTICE OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes (“HRS”) section 91-4, notice is hereby given that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has enacted emergency rules to protect the health and safety of the residents of the State. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs finds that an imminent peril to public health and safety requires the adoption of a rule to address the nursing workforce.
A surge in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (“RSV”), Influenza virus, and the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus cases continues to cause high numbers of hospitalizations and deaths around the world, in the United States of America, and in our state; resulting in a strain of the state’s healthcare. Hospitals throughout the State reported conditions warranting serious attention. The workforce shortage of nurses constitutes an imminent peril to “public health, safety, or morals” as set forth in section 91-3(b), HRS;
Swift adoption of these rules is necessary to address and mitigate the nursing shortage by authorizing out-of-state nurses to temporarily practice in the State upon meeting certain requirements set forth by these emergency rules.
These emergency rules became effective on December 5, 2022 and shall be effective for no longer than one hundred twenty (120) days from the effective date. These emergency rules shall have the force and effect of law.
The emergency rules are available online at: https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/nursing/.

Catherine P. Awakuni Colón
Director, Department of Commerce and
Consumer Affairs
(SA1396666 12/8/22)