CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 6-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    S.B. No. 2577

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2577, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to require naturopathic physicians to complete a minimum of thirty-five hours of continuing education courses, including a minimum of fifteen hours of continuing education courses in pharmacology, during each licensing renewal biennium beginning December 31, 2017.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that naturopathic education focuses primarily on natural treatments, and therefore offers very few contact hours of study on pharmacological treatment of disease.  This measure encourages naturopathic physicians to stay up to date on current practices in naturopathy and pharmacology so that they may provide the best care possible to their patients.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the requirement that the Board of Naturopathic Medicine design standards and methodology for naturopathic physicians to report and track quality metrics and health care outcomes;

     (2)  Removing the requirement that the Board of Naturopathic Medicine report on the data collection of quality metrics and health care outcomes to the Legislature;

     (3)  Removing the requirement that naturopathic physicians carry medical liability insurance coverage;

     (4)  Clarifying that each licensee shall complete continuing education courses prior to every biennial renewal following the December 31, 2017, renewal;

     (5)  Making the measure effective upon approval; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2577, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2577, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair
____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair
____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Co-Chair