STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1613-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2472

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 3

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2472, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

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

     (1)  Establishing an Occupational Therapy Program and requiring the licensure of occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants; and

     (2)  Appropriating funds to implement the Occupational Therapy Program.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Regulated Industries Complaints Office, Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii, American Occupational Therapy Association, The Queen's Medical Center, Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair