STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1476-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 3027

      S.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 3027, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OSTEOPATHY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to bring consistency to the laws governing osteopathic and medical doctors by including osteopathic doctors in the regulation of medical doctors under Chapter 453, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS).

     The Board of Medical Examiners (Board) and Hawaii Medical Association testified in support of this bill.

     The Board currently regulates medical doctors (MDs) through Chapter 453, HRS, and osteopathic doctors (DOs) through Chapter 460, HRS.  Both professions share very similar education, training, and licensure requirements, the key difference being the DO's focus on treatment of the body as an integrated whole, with less emphasis on specific symptoms or illnesses.  Because the Board considers MDs and DOs to be equivalents in many respects, it attempts to regulate both professions as uniformly as possible.  Combining the regulation of both professions into a single statutory chapter promotes this endeavor of the Board. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3027, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair