STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1347

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 818

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 818, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require licensure of school psychologists by the Hawaii Teacher Standards and School Psychologists Board in alignment with the National Association of School Psychologists standards to ensure the continued delivery of quality service to students and the community;

(2) Specify that persons licensed as school psychologists shall practice only in a school setting and not engage in private practice;

(3) Specify that school psychologists licensed by the Hawaii Teacher Standards and School Psychologists Board shall be exempt from licensure by the Board of Psychology for purposes of practice within any school setting; and

(4) Change the name of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to the Hawaii Teacher Standards and School Psychologists Board, add two school psychologists to its membership, and require it to report on school psychologist licensure to the Legislature.

The Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board and a few concerned individuals supported this measure. The Department of Education, Department of the Attorney General, University of Hawai‘i System, and Hawai‘i Association of School Psychologists offered comments on this measure.

Should the Committee on Intrastate Commerce deliberate this measure further, your Committee on Lower & Higher Education respectfully requests that it look at whether a sunrise analysis regarding the licensure of school psychologists is needed.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2052, to encourage further discussion on this measure; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 818, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 818, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Intrastate Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Lower & Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair