STAND. COM. REP. NO. 608-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2289
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
2289 entitled: 

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow services performed by
physical therapist assistants to be covered by workers'
compensation, by including physical therapist assistants, as
authorized under section 461J-3(e), Hawaii Revised Statutes,
under the definition of "medical care", "medical services", or
"medical supplies".

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the
Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, the Hawaii State
Chiropractic Association, and the Healthcare Association of
Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii
Employers' Mutual Insurance Company, Inc. and the Hawaii Insurers
Council testified in opposition to this measure.  Comments were
submitted by ILWU Local 142 and the Hawaii Chapter of the
American Physical Therapy Association.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2289 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.


 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 608-00
                                 Page 2

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair