Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2467 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to update and clarify the naturopathy licensing law by:

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education provided comments on the bill.

Your Committee finds that naturopathy license examination applicants are required to submit an application to the Board. However, recently, the testing agency responsible for administering naturopathy examinations changed its licensing procedures and began accepting applications directly from examination candidates. This bill would repeal the provisions affected by this change to reflect current protocol.

Further, your Committee finds that the requirement that an approved naturopathy school be accredited by a regional or national "professional" accrediting body has no bearing on the quality of the accrediting agency. The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) was the only "professional" accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. It lost that distinction when its accreditation services ceased to serve the federal purpose of qualifying certain schools to participate in federal student loan programs. CNME is also the only accrediting agency recognized by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners, which administers the licensing examinations used by the State. Your Committee finds that unless the term "professional" is removed, naturopathic applicants will not be able to satisfy educational requirements and become licensed.

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 H.B. No. 2467 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.