CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 75-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

RE:    S.B. No. 1311

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

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:

     (1)  Exempt licensed or credentialed practitioners practicing within their recognized scope of practice from behavior analyst licensure and certification requirements;

     (2)  Temporarily exempt from behavior analyst licensing requirements, direct support workers who provide autism treatment services pursuant to an Individualized Education Plan; and

     (3)  Require the Department of Education to report to the Legislature on implementing measures to comply with the licensure and certification requirements.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that licensure of behavior analysts is necessary for client protection and access to services.  While ensuring the provision of quality services by properly trained providers is of the utmost importance, your Committee on Conference finds that the State's current credentialed workforce is inadequate to meet present needs.  This measure will ensure that behavioral services continue to be available for clients who depend on them while facilitating the long-term development of an adequate professional and paraprofessional workforce.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2016; and

     (2)  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. 1311, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI, Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair
____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair
____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair	____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Co-Chair
____________________________ SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Co-Chair