STAND. COM. REP. NO. 432-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2764
                                     H.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No.
2764 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to give children additional
access to immunizations and tuberculosis (TB) examinations by
allowing naturopathic physicians to provide these health care
services to students in the Department of Education (DOE).

     The Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians and numerous
individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department
of Health (DOH) and the Hawaii Medical Association opposed this
measure.  The Hawaii Nurses' Association submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that since 1926, naturopathic
physicians have been performing school physical examinations.
However, up until a few years ago, DOH started to strictly
enforce their rules, of which naturopathic physicians were not
defined as a health care professional permitted to give student
examinations.

     DOH testified that it is not disputing the validity of
naturopathy, which is the practice of natural medicine, but
believes that naturopathy will not effectively interrupt and
prevent the spread of infectious diseases.  From a public health
standpoint to control communicable disease, naturopathic
physicians are not authorized to administer immunizations and TB

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 432-00
                                 Page 2

 
examinations in conformity with recognized standard medical
practices.

     After much deliberation, your Committee has amended this
measure by:

     (1)  Permitting naturopathic physicians to give only
          physical examinations to DOE students; and

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

     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 H.B. No.
2764, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2764, 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