STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2127

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2863

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2863 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CITATIONS FOR MASSAGE THERAPY VIOLATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Authorize the issuance of a citation for certain technical violations of massage therapy laws by licensees;

     (2)  Establish a process for licensees to contest a citation; and

     (3)  Provide for the assessment of fines for each violation.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Regulated Industries Complaints Office of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Board of Massage Therapy.

     Your Committee finds that this measure authorizes the Regulated Industries Complaints Office to issue citations to massage therapy licensees for specific violations of the massage therapy laws, affords licensees an opportunity to request a hearing to contest a citation, and specifies that failure to pay an assessed fine within thirty days may subject a licensee to further disciplinary action.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will expedite the Regulated Industries Complaints Office's enforcement of certain technical violations of the massage therapy laws, promote swift compliance by licensees, and enable the Office's staff to concentrate their efforts and resources on more serious violations.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2863, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2863, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair