Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1503 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to enable the chiropractic profession to serve the public better by:

(1) Amending the definition of "chiropractic";

The State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Hawaii State Chiropractic Association, and numerous chiropractors and chiropractic clinics testified in support of this measure.

The Board of Medical Examiners, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and the Hawaii Insurers Council opposed this measure. These organizations felt that the changes proposed by this bill will expand the scope of practice beyond the capabilities of a chiropractor and may mislead and confuse the healthcare consumer.

The chiropractic profession received recognition in Hawaii in 1919. However, little has changed with regard to the chiropractor's scope of practice even though the profession has matured and improved over the last 77 years. Moreover, your Committee realizes that many people in Hawaii use chiropractors as primary health care providers.

Your Committee realizes that the changes proposed in this bill will bring the chiropractic practice in line with modern education and training, current national practice standards, and widely accepted national board examinations.

To address the concerns of the medical community, your Committee has amended this bill by amending the violations and penalty section. Other technical, nonsubstantive amendments have also been made 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. 1503, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1503, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.