STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2923

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1882

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1882, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PODIATRISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to adopt the national standard of a minimum of twenty-four months in an accredited podiatric residency prior to licensure as a podiatrist.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Podiatric Medical Association, American Podiatric Medical Association, and eight individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board.

     Your Committee finds that in the past, podiatry residencies varied from one to three years in length.  In 2011, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education formally increased the national residency standard for podiatrists to a thirty-six month residency program to provide uniform and consistent training amongst all graduating podiatric surgeons.  The twenty-four month residency requirement in this measure will cover podiatrists who completed a shorter podiatry residency prior to the uniform adoption of the thirty-six month residency requirement.  This measure also provides specific requirements for an applicant for a license to practice podiatric medicine in Hawaii who graduated from an approved college before January 1, 2004.

     Your Committee notes that this measure is not intended to affect podiatrists currently licensed and practicing podiatric medicine in Hawaii.  An amendment is therefore needed to specify that this measure is intended to clarify the licensure requirements for out-of-state podiatrists seeking initial licensure in Hawaii.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the residency and experience requirements for applicants for a license to practice podiatric medicine in Hawaii who graduated from an approved college before January 1, 2004, shall not apply to podiatrists with current, active licenses to practice podiatric medicine in Hawaii;

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2015; and

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

     Your Committee notes that this amended measure is intended to clarify licensure requirements for out-of-state podiatrists seeking initial licensure in Hawaii.  This amended measure will not affect podiatrists currently licensed and practicing podiatric medicine in Hawaii.

     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. 1882, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1882, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, 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