STAND. COM. REP. NO. 534

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1142

       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 Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify that a physician assistant who holds a current, valid, and permanent license to practice medicine, and who is under the supervision of a licensed physician or osteopathic physician, may sign certain specified documents, and administer specified medical care under certain conditions.

     This measure also allows State licensed physician assistants to provide medical care in a public emergency or state or local disaster, without physician supervision.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will improve patient access to health care services, expedite the processing of paperwork, and provide optimal care at the initial point of access for Hawaii patients, especially in rural and underserved areas.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations,

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair