STAND. COM. REP. NO. 247

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1075

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 S.B. No. 1075 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to mandate that physical therapists practicing in Hawaii obtain a minimum number of continuing competence units and submit evidence of continuing competence at every renewal period, beginning with the December 31, 2016, renewal period.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Physical Therapy and Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that physical therapy is a dynamic health care profession.  Your Committee further finds that physical therapists have an increasing role in the public health arena and play a vital role in the development of standards of practice and health care policies.  In today's world of quickly changing health care, consumers and patients have the right to assume and expect that their health care provider's current license indicates competence to practice.

     Your Committee additionally finds that Hawaii is one of only three states that do not statutorily authorize the state boards of physical therapy to require continuing education or continuing competence of its licensees.  This measure requires physical therapist licensees to accumulate thirty units of approved continuing competence in each two-year license cycle.  This requirement ensures that physical therapists will remain current in the profession and will practice in a safe, ethical, and legal manner.

     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 S.B. No. 1075 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair