STAND. COM. REP. NO. 477

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1076

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. 1076 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE USE OF THE DOCTOR OF ACUPUNCTURE TITLE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Clarify the requirements for Hawaii acupuncture licensees who graduate from an accredited doctoral program in acupuncture and Oriental medicine and intend to use the title of "Doctor of Acupuncture";

     (2)  Repeal the requirement for the Board of Acupuncture to approve advanced programs of study; and

     (3)  Require licensees who graduate from foreign institutions to submit their educational credentials to a Board of Acupuncture approved and designated professional evaluator.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Acupuncture, Hawaii Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Association, Institute of Clinical Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that existing law allows acupuncture licensees to complete either an accredited program or a program approved by the Board of Acupuncture as the basis to use the title "Doctor of Acupuncture" or designation "D.Ac."  Until recently, there was no available accredited doctoral program; therefore the only way a licensee could meet this requirement was to apply to the Board for approval of the program studied by the licensee.  However, in 2002, an accredited doctoral program was developed by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the national accrediting body for United States acupuncture and Oriental Medicine schools.  Your Committee further finds that this measure repeals the Board's authority to approve advanced programs of study, as it is more appropriate for the Board to defer to and rely upon the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to accredit and approve doctoral programs of study.

     Your Committee has heard testimony about the possibility for the Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree to be referenced in this measure.  Your Committee understands that the Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree is conferred upon a student who graduates from an accredited doctoral program in acupuncture and Oriental medicine and should not necessarily be confused with a title or designation indicating licensure in Hawaii.  As the intent of this measure is to ensure acupuncture licensees complete accredited doctoral programs and to repeal a specific Board of Acupuncture requirement, incorporating a reference to the Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree is not appropriate at this time.  However, your Committee also understands that the Board of Acupuncture is open to additional discussions on this topic at future meetings.

     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. 1076 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