STAND. COM. REP. NO. 774

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 701

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 701 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand the scope of practice for physical therapists to allow them perform dry needling techniques and therapies.

The Board of Physical Therapy, the Queen's Health Systems, American Physical Therapy Association-Hawaii Chapter, Hana Lima Physical Therapy, Oncology Rehab, AccessSurf, Arizona School of Health Sciences-A. T. Still University, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure. The Board of Acupuncture, Molokai Acupuncture & Massage, Hilo Bay Acupuncture Clinic, Institute of Clinical Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Acuplan Hawaii, East 2 West Integrative Medicine, Kailua Acupuncture Clinic, Hawaii Acupuncture Association, and numerous individuals testified in opposition to this measure. The American Physical Therapy Association and Kinetacore provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language authorizing the practice of dry needling and inserting new language authorizing a study on the appropriateness of expanding of the scope of practice for physical therapists to include dry needling, to be performed by the Legislative Reference Bureau;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

(3) 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. 701, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 701, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair