Bill > HR28

This resolution urges the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB), a state research agency, to conduct a comprehensive study on the economic, social, and fiscal consequences of the Kapiolani Hospital nurses' strike and subsequent lockout that occurred in September 2024. The background context reveals that the strike was prompted by nurses' concerns about understaffing, excessive patient assignments, and challenging working conditions, which led to a 22-day lockout affecting over 600 nurses. The resolution requests that the LRB investigate the total cost of the labor dispute to taxpayers, families, and healthcare services, including the financial implications of hiring traveling nurses (who earn significantly more than permanent staff) and the broader impact on the state's healthcare system. The LRB is specifically urged to complete and publish its report no later than twenty days before the 2026 legislative session, with the findings to be transmitted to the Legislature. The resolution highlights the broader context of nursing challenges in Hawaii, noting that 14,545 registered nurses work in the state, with 48% employed in hospital settings, and that the nurses ultimately secured a new contract with patient limit restrictions and pay increases.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HR&billnumber=28&year=2025