STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO.493

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1582

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1582 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHIROPRACTIC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to better define the practice of chiropractic and to specify that reimbursement for chiropractic treatment under workers' compensation shall be limited to treatment of the spinal column.

The Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Massage Therapists Association, and Hawaii State Chiropractic Association submitted testimony supporting this measure. Testimony opposing this measure was submitted by the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, ILWU Local 142, State Farm Insurance Companies, Hawaii Medical Association, and the Hawaii Insurers Council. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs submitted comments on this measure.

Specifically, this measure does the following:

(1) Limits workers' compensation reimbursement for chiropractic services to treatment of the spinal column;

(2) Clarifies that the practice of chiropractic includes palpating and adjusting the articulations and adjacent tissues of the human body and specifies the specific areas of the spinal column, head, extremities, and rib cage that are involved in the science of chiropractic;

(3) Authorizes the Board of Chiropractic Examiners to further define chiropractic in its rules;

(4) Expands the use of necessary patient evaluation, management procedures, and referral for laboratory examinations to include the head, extremities, and rib cage;

(5) Limits chiropractic extraspinal manipulative treatment to generally accepted chiropractic standards and formal education and training obtained in accredited schools; and

(6) Clarifies that only a licensed chiropractor is allowed to use the term "doctor of chiropractic" or "chiropractic physician".

Your Committee finds that the definition of the practice of chiropractic was drafted in 1925. Over the past 77 years, the practice of chiropractic has advanced and has surpassed the current written law. This measure provides a definition encompassing the current educational curriculum taught in accredited chiropractic colleges throughout the country. The current chiropractic law is antiquated and does not recognize the current skills of licensed doctors of chiropractic.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1582 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.

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

		____________________________ BRIAN KANNO, Chair