STAND

STAND. COM. REP. 47

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1412

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1412 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect consumers by establishing a Professional Counselors Licensing Program to:

(1) Grant permission to qualified individuals to use the title "licensed professional counselor";

(2) Grant licensure to individuals meeting certain education and work requirements; and

(3) Establish the Professional Counselors Licensing Program Startup Trust Fund to be dissolved on June 30, 2005.

The Child and Family Service, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Alliance for Professional Counselor Licensure, Hawaii Vocational Services, Sestak Rehabilitation Services, and several individuals testified in support of this measure. The Hawaii Government Employees Association and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, and Christian Science Committee on Publication of Hawaii submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that the majority of the testifiers agree that legislation providing a certification or licensing mechanism for professional counselors is necessary. Hawaii is one of only a few states that does not license 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.

Many of the testifiers who opposed the measure would support it with certain suggested amendments.

Your Committee has amended this bill accordingly by:

(1) Clarifying the definition of "rehabilitation counseling";

(2) Removing the requirement that students pursuing a graduate degree in professional counseling or other professional field be a full-time student;

(3) Removing the specific course and credit requirements for a master's or doctoral degree;

(4) Clarifying that the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs shall license as a professional counselor any resident of another state who is currently licensed by that state if certain requirements have been met; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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. 1412, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1412, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

		____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair