STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1002-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1708

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1708, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICINE AND SURGERY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a limited exemption from the State's medical licensing requirements to allow visiting sports team physicians to provide care to their traveling team members and coaching staff for a specific sporting event or at a national sport training center in the State.

The Hawaii Medical Association testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Medical Board testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the language that established a limited exemption from the State's licensing requirements to allow visiting sports team physicians to provide care to their traveling team members and coaching staff for a specific sporting event or at a national sport training center in the State;

     (2)  Inserting language that:

          (A)  Authorizes the Hawaii Medical Board (Board) to issue a visiting sports physician temporary license to a physician or osteopathic physician who is not licensed in this State;

          (B)  Establishes the criteria and conditions required for a physician or osteopathic physician who is not licensed in this State to receive a visiting sports physician temporary license;

          (C)  Limits the allowable scope of practice under a temporary license to providing care to members and coaching staff of the team or professional athletic association with which the physician has an agreement to do so; and

          (D)  Requires the Auditor to conduct a study to determine whether licensure for visiting sports physicians is warranted and report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     Your Committee notes that the Board opposed this measure because a limited licensing exemption would not allow the Board to intercede if patient safety were compromised.  Therefore, your Committee replaced the contents of this measure with provisions that establish a limited licensing scheme that allows visiting sports team physicians to travel with and provide medical care for team members without compromising patient safety.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1708, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1708, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair