STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1283

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 40
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 40
entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow full implementation of
the Board of Medical Examiners' rules governing physician
assistants (PA) by changing the statutory nomenclature applicable
to PA regulation from "certification" to "licensing".

     The Board of Medical Examiners, the Hawaii Academy of
Physician Assistants, and one individual testified in support of
this measure.

     Your Committee finds that a change in statutory terminology
from certified to licensed would more accurately reflect the
regulatory intent and practice, and would have:

     (1)  Minimal fiscal and operational impact on the Department
          of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;

     (2)  Little to no effect on the public's health, safety, or
          welfare; and

     (3)  No effect on insurance coverage.


 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1283
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical,
nonsubstantive amendments to conform to a similar measure, H.B.
No. 47, H.D. 1.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
40, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading
in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 40, H.D. 1, and be
referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair