STAND. COM. REP. NO. 648

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1332

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1332, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTHCARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require board licensure for respiratory care practitioners.

     Your Committee received eleven written comments on this measure.  Copies of written comments submitted are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the practice of respiratory care requires expertise and proficiency in many areas of medicine and advance technologies including life-support systems and sophisticated patient monitoring devices.  The development and implementation of minimum standards in cardiopulmonary health under this measure to ensure that only qualified persons are licensed as respiratory care practitioners will help to protect patients and maintain the public's health, safety, and welfare.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2090, for purposes of continued discussion of the matter; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1332, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1332, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair