CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. 134

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1412

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1412, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to recognize professional counselors and provide them parity with other mental health professionals by establishing a Professional Counselors Licensing Program (Licensing Program).

The Licensing Program:

(1) Sets educational and practical experience for licensure;

(2) Requires licensure for those who indicate to the public that they are a professional counselor;

(3) Provides penalties for those who use the title of "licensed professional counselor" without first having secured a license; and

(4) Prohibits professional counselors from having to testify in alimony and divorce actions.

Your Committee on Conference acknowledges that most states require licensure for professional counselors. Licensure would provide savings in reimbursement rates, provide consumer safeguards, and increase the availability of qualified professionals to meet the requirements of the Felix Consent Decree.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Specifying that practicum intern experience be supervised;

(2) Deleting the provision that practicum experience not apply to persons holding a master's or doctoral degree in counseling from the University of Hawaii; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1412, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1412, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair		____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Co-Chair
____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair		____________________________ KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Co-Chair
		____________________________ JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Co-Chair