STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1360-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2717
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 2




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which
was referred S.B. No. 2717, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL WORKERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

     (1)  Continue state licensure and regulation of social
          workers under chapter 467E, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
          (chapter 467E), by repealing the chapter's December 31,
          2000 sunset date;

     (2)  Provide for flexibility in licensing by allowing the
          Director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer
          Affairs (DCCA) to:

          (A)  Enter into agreements for reciprocal recognition
               of social worker licenses in cases where the
               participating state's license requirements are
               equal to or greater than those of Hawaii;

          (B)  Honor a passing score in an Association of Social
               Work Boards examination in the category used by
               the administering state for its license;

          and


 
 
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     (3)  Allow licensure to social workers who passed the
          National Association of Social Workers' examination
          prior to June 30, 1995, only if the social worker makes
          an application for licensure before June 30, 2000.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Human Services, Department of Health,
Child and Family Service, Hawaii Youth Services Network,
Healthcare Association of Hawaii, National Association of Social
Workers, Kaiser Permanente, Kahi Mohala, Hawaii Nurses'
Association, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children Sex
Abuse Treatment Center, and numerous individuals.

     Testimony supporting the reciprocity and examination
provisions of this bill and deferring to the Legislature
regarding the repeal of chapter 467E, was submitted by DCCA.

     Your Committee recognizes the overwhelming support for this
measure and agrees with its substance.  However, for technical
reasons, to allow the House companion bill to be used as a
vehicle for implementation of the law and to ensure that this
bill is returned to the Senate, your Committee has amended the
measure to insert an effective date of July 1, 2050.

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were made for purposes
of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 2717, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto
as S.B. No. 2717, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Consumer
                                   Protection and Commerce,



                                   ______________________________
                                   RON MENOR, Chair