STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1365

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1381

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1381, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL AND VOCATIONAL LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Limit licensure by endorsement or reciprocity for nonresident military spouses to those spouses who are present in the State for at least one year pursuant to military orders;

     (2)  Limit consideration of military service or training for licensure by endorsement or reciprocity to veterans honorably discharged within two years of application and exclude medical doctors, dentists, certified public accountants, and other licensees for which specified endorsement or reciprocity regulations exist; and

     (3)  Clarify and permanently establish various requirements for licensure by endorsement and reciprocity for military veterans.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Military Community and Family Policy and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Dental Association.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that many military spouses accompany their service member spouses on military duty assignments.  Your Committee further finds that this measure supports efforts led by the current Presidential Administration to simplify and expedite the employment of trained, educated, and highly qualified military spouses who accompany their service member spouses on military duty assignments.

     Your Committee additionally finds that when Act 248, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012 (Act 248), was enacted, the intent was to allow the licensing authorities in Hawaii to consider military education, training, or service that was equivalent to civilian education, training, or service.  Your Committee notes that S.B. No. 506, S.D. 2, which was previously passed by the Senate, contains language that is intended to provide additional clarity to Act 248.  S.B. No. 506, S.D. 2, is also intended to demonstrate Hawaii's continuing commitment to the nationwide effort to facilitate military veterans' transition to post-service employment, including those military veterans who are from Hawaii and wish to find post-service employment in their home state.  Amendments to this measure are therefore necessary to incorporate certain language from S.B. No. 506, S.D. 2.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting sections 2 and 3 and replacing them with section 2 from S.B. No. 506, S.D. 2, a measure which:

          (A)  Clarifies that licensing authorities that consider relevant education, training, or service of a military veteran applicant and determine the applicant meets or exceeds the requirements for licensure in Hawaii shall accept the results of the passage of a national or regional exam accepted by statute or rule in the specific licensing area or the equivalent as determined by the licensing authority; and

          (B)  Requires a certificate or evidence satisfactory to the licensing authority of having passed a national or regional exam or the equivalent to be provided to the licensing authority;

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2013; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1381, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1381, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair