Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 95 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to compare professional and vocational regulation in Hawaii with regulation in other states and to recommend whether Hawaii's regulatory requirements are necessary to protect the health, safety, or welfare of consumers.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) and Hawaii Association of Realtors testified in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that some of the professional and vocational regulatory programs administered by DCCA have come under criticism as unnecessary, counterproductive, or favoring the interests of regulated businesses over the interests of consumers.

This measure will help to assess the validity of these criticisms and assist DCCA in determining whether regulation of a particular profession or industry should be implemented, maintained, or terminated based on the criteria set forth in the Hawaii Regulatory Licensing Reform Act.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 95 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.