STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3356

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1627

       H.D. 3

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1627, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL INVESTIGATIONS BY THE REGULATED INDUSTRIES COMPLAINTS OFFICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate the enforcement of regulations governing medical professions and occupations in the State.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires the Regulated Industries Complaints Office of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to establish a division that specializes in the investigation of medical cases involving regulated professions and occupations; and

     (2)  Appropriates funds from the compliance resolution fund for field investigators and a staff attorney who specialize in medical cases.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Regulated Industries Complaints Office of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and the Hawaii Medical Association.

     Your Committee finds that the Regulated Industries Complaints Office of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs enforces various regulations governing professions and occupations that are licensed in the State.  As part of its duties, the Regulated Industries Complaints Office investigates allegations of professional misconduct by licensees and any possible unlicensed activity that may be occurring in the State.  Your Committee also finds that enforcement of certain professional and occupational regulations can be especially challenging when those professions and occupations involve complex medical issues and scopes of practice that are widely varied.  Despite the Regulated Industries Complaints Office's critical role in protecting consumers, the office lacks investigators with specialized experience or expertise in medical issues.

     Your Committee notes that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs estimates that the additional positions proposed by this measure would require an appropriation of $562,650.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the amount of the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1627, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1627, H.D. 3, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair