STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2377

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2472

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2472 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the regulation of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants by establishing an occupational therapy program and licensing requirements for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, The Queen's Health Systems, American Occupational Therapy Practice, Hawaii Athletic Trainers' Association, Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii, Kaiser Permanente, CHART Rehabilitation of Hawaii, Kuakini Health System, Hawaii Pacific Health, and several individuals.

     Your Committees find that Hawaii is the only state that does not currently license occupational therapists and is one of three remaining states that do not license occupational therapist assistants.  Your Committees further find that licensure will safeguard public health and provide the highest quality of occupational therapy services in Hawaii.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying the powers and duties of the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (Director);

     (2)  Requiring licensing for occupational therapy assistants as of January 1, 2017;

     (3)  Requiring occupational therapy assistants to complete certain educational, field work, and examination licensing requirements;

     (4)  Removing distinctions between permanent and temporary licenses;

     (5)  Specifying that each active occupational therapist registration shall become an active occupational therapist license with renewal effective December 31, 2014;

     (6)  Requiring the Director to treat any pending application for an occupational therapist registration as an application for licensure effective January 1, 2015;

     (7)  Permitting the revocation or suspension of a license for violation of chapter 436B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, or any rule or order of the Director;

     (8)  Amending, rather than repealing, section 457G-1.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to insert the description of the practice of occupational therapy;

     (9)  Amending, rather than repealing, section 457G-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to insert the qualifications of foreign-trained persons for licensure as occupational therapists;

    (10)  Inserting language to amend the penalties for violations of chapter 457G, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

    (11)  Inserting an appropriation for implementation of the occupational therapists licensure program, including hiring of necessary personnel;

    (12)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2014;

    (13)  Amending the purpose section to reflect these changes; and

    (14)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2472, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2472, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair