STAND. COM. REP. NO. 619

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 884

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 884 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAVELING TEAM PHYSICIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide an exemption from state licensure requirements for out-of-state traveling team physicians who accompany a sports team to Hawaii, under certain conditions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Regulated Industries Complaints Office and Hawaii Medical Board.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is one of the few states that does not have an exemption to allow physicians visiting the State in association with sport teams events to treat the traveling team members and coaches they are associated with, without having to obtain a separate license to practice medicine. Your Committee further finds that granting an exemption to these traveling physicians will allow for continuity of care for traveling athletes and their coaches. This measure is intended to protect the well-being of visiting athletes by ensuring a physician who has knowledge of an athlete's medical history and current medical status is able to examine and treat the athlete's injury immediately after it occurs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language requiring out-of-state traveling team physicians to provide advance notice to the Hawaii Medical Board of the date they intend to enter and practice in the State;

(2) Clarifying that the Hawaii Medical Board, rather than the Department of Health, may increase the period of time a traveling team physician may practice in the State upon a showing of good cause;

(3) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 884, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 884, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Homelessness,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair