CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 34-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1515

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1515, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION,"

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:

(1) Authorize an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination to assess an employee's ability to return to work and to refer the injured employee for the examination without first obtaining permission from the employee's employer; and

(2) Qualify licensed occupational and physical therapists as health care providers for the limited purpose of performing functional capacity examinations.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2026.

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 H.B. No. 1515, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1515, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE Chair	____________________________ JACKSON D. SAYAMA Co-Chair
____________________________ DRU KANUHA Co-Chair	____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair
	____________________________ MIKE LEE Co-Chair