STAND. COM. REP. NO. 387

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1332

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 1332 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTHCARE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to protect public health by ensuring that respiratory care is practiced only by qualified professionals.

     Specifically, this measure establishes a State Respiratory Care Board and licensure requirements to regulate the practice of respiratory care.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Kapiolani Medical Center, American Association for Respiratory Care, Hawaii Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Coalition, and the Hawaii Medical Association.  Comments on this measure were submitted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

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

     Your Committees find that this measure will protect public health and safety by providing for the licensure of respiratory therapists.  Respiratory therapists serve a critical role in the health care delivery system.  Your Committees further find that certain health professions need licensure to participate in federal programs.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting a purpose section to clarify the Legislature's intent to regulate the practice of respiratory care; and

     (2)  Amending section 26H-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to exempt certain health professions, from the required auditor's analysis for unregulated professions, that the Legislature deems is in the best interest to be licensed for participation in federal programs.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1332, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1332, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair