STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1030

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1362

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1362, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GENETIC COUNSELORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a licensure program for genetic counselors within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to ensure that individuals seeking genetic counseling receive the highest degree of quality services and professional conduct from licensed genetic counselors.  The measure also provides penalties for non-compliance.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Kapiolani Medical Center and the Kapiolani Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Team.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that genetic counselors are a vital part of the health care team that provides care to individuals throughout their lifespan.  Although, a sunrise review was conducted by the Auditor, your Committee finds that the market for genetic counseling is increasing and this measure should move forward in order to protect the public from persons who are unauthorized and untrained to perform these services and to ensure that genetic counseling services are provided by highly trained professionals.

     Your Committee further finds that the Department of Health is in the best position to license genetic counselors.  The operating costs would be less for the Department of Health than for the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs because the Department of Health has an existing genetics program which has been in effect for fifteen years.  In addition, the Department of Health currently licenses other health professionals, such as radiology technicians, dieticians, clinical laboratory directors, medical technologists, clinical laboratory specialists, cytotechnologists, and medical laboratory technicians, because of its specialized expertise.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs with the Department of Health; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2009.

     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. 1362, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1362, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair