STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1492-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 13

      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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 13 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure as received by your Committee, is to amend eligibility requirements for licensing of psychologists to include additional doctoral degree programs accredited by the American Psychological Association.

For purposes of a public hearing on this measure, your Committee circulated Proposed S.B. No. 13, H.D.1, and notified the public that it would be accepting testimony on the proposal, which among other things, establishes the framework and requirements for the licensure of school psychologists in both the public and private sectors of employment.

An individual testified in support of the measure as received by your Committee.

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Board of Psychology provided comments on the proposed draft.

Your Committee considered the merits of both S.B. No. 13, as received by your Committee, and the proposed draft, and upon careful consideration, adopted the proposed draft with the following amendments:

     (1)  Beginning July 1, 2017, establishing registration requirements and limitations on use of titles for school psychologists instead of establishing a framework and requirements for the licensure of school psychologists in both the public and private sectors of employment;

     (2)  Requiring the Auditor to conduct a study to determine whether licensure for the practice of school psychology is warranted;

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

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

Your Committee finds that Medicaid money is being left on the table because the State is not using school psychologists in the educational setting as required by federal law for reimbursement.  However, your Committee finds that current law requires that a study be done by the Auditor before a new profession can be regulated through licensure.  In order to not jeopardize Medicaid funds to the State while continuing to pursue a study by the Auditor, your Committee has amended this measure to provide school psychologists title protection regulations as an interim solution in ensuring that Medicaid funds can be drawn down for school psychologists while protecting the public.  Additionally, this measure ensures that school psychologists comply with nationally-accredited standards and training requirements for the use of the title of school psychologist as the use of the title of school psychologist by non-accredited school psychologists has become problematic in the educational setting.

     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 S.B. No. 13, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 13, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair