STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1138
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2005
RE: S.B. No. 1229
S.D. 1
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2005
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1229, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LICENSING OF DENTAL HYGIENISTS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to address the statewide shortage of qualified dental hygienists by authorizing the Board of Dental Examiners (BDE) to grant licenses without examination to dental hygienists who are already licensed in other states.
BDE, Hawaii Dental Hygienist's Association, and Hawaii Institute for Wellness in Dentistry supported this bill.
Your Committee finds that there is a critical shortage of experienced dental hygienists in the State and that this has adversely affected consumer access to dental hygiene services. Allowing licensure by credentials for dental hygienists could help to increase the number of practicing dental hygienists in Hawaii.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Requiring applicants to provide a letter of intent to engage in the practice of dental hygiene in the state within six months of licensure;
(2) Requiring that applicants provide an affidavit attesting to the applicant's professional standing and moral character from a dentist licensed and practicing in the jurisdiction in which the applicant is licensed and has been practicing.
(3) Providing that an applicant is ineligible for licensure without examination if the applicant has failed the Hawaii dental hygiene examination more than once;
(4) Providing for a repeal date of June 30, 2007,
(5) Clarifying the provisions under which a person is prohibited from practicing dental hygiene; and
(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, 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 S.B. No. 1229, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1229, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
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