STAND. COM. REP. NO. 303

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1420

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1420 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL AND VOCATIONAL LICENSING FEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Professional and Vocational Licensing Division (PVLD) with the flexibility to offer licensing discounts in an expedited manner.

     Specifically, this measure amends section 92-28, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by extending the authority of the PVLD to decrease and increase fees to thirty additional licensing laws that fall under the purview of the PVLD.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii. 

     Your Committee finds that the intent of this Administration Package bill is to increase the types of licenses that can received a discount from the PVLD for renewing their licenses through the PVLD's online renewal system and provide the PVLD with greater flexibility in this regard.  Your Committee notes that it is not the intent to give the PVLD the authority to increase fees on the thirty additional licensing laws that are included in this bill.  Your Committee finds that the bill as currently drafted does not specifically provide for that distinction.

     Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by specifying that the amendments made to section 92-28, HRS, by section 1 of this measure shall only apply to the decreasing of fees for professions and vocations the under the purview of the PVLD.  Your Committee has also significantly delayed the effective date of this measure in order to promote further discussion.

     The intent of this measure, as amended, is to only provide the PVLD with the flexibility to authorize discounts for licensing and not to provide the PVLD with authorization to increase fees on these thirty professions and vocations.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1420, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1420, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair