CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 48-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    S.B. No. 2472

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 3

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2472, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to improve the regulation of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants by:

     (1)  Establishing an occupational therapy program within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;

     (2)  Establishing licensing requirements for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants;

     (3)  Requiring all occupational therapy assistants to possess a valid license, effective January 1, 2017; and

     (4)  Appropriating funds to implement the occupational therapy program.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that licensure of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants will protect the public health, safety, and welfare of occupational therapy patients.  This measure ensures that occupational therapy will be provided by qualified occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in the State.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $70,000; and

     (2)  Making the appropriation effective on July 1, 2014.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2472, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2472, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair
____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair
____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Co-Chair	____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair