STAND. COM. REP. NO.  137

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1937

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1937 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that only qualified persons are allowed to practice in the field of school psychology by establishing a school psychologist licensing program to be administered by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  Under this program, all persons engaged in the practice of school psychology must be licensed as school psychologists to practice in the public and private sectors of employment.

The Hawaii Association of School Psychologists and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  Two individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and the Department of Education commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to facilitate further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1937, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1937, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair