STAND. COM. REP. NO.  442-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2566

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2566 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect consumers of mental health services by continuing the regulation of mental health counselors.  Specifically, this bill repeals the sunset date for the licensing program for mental health counselors in Chapter 453D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     The Office of the Auditor, Kaiser Permanente, Hawaii Rehabilitation Counseling Association, Alliance for Professional Counselor Licensure, Hawaii Counselors Association, and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs offered comments.

     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. 2566 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair