STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 605-22
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2022
RE: H.B. No. 1679
H.D. 2
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2022
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1679, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ACUPUNCTURE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee finds that acupuncture is growing in popularity as an accepted form of treatment and because of expanded benefits under health insurance policies and Medicare. Your Committee further finds that acupuncture medicine is an evidence-based medicine rooted in traditional and modern modalities. The practice of acupuncture medicine includes examination, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of the patient, therefore regulation and control are necessary for public health, safety, and welfare. A number of the State's laws governing acupuncture practitioners have not been updated in over twenty years, despite changes to certification standards and expanded accredited educational programs. Accordingly, your Committee finds that a comprehensive update of the laws regulating acupuncture is warranted.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Authorizing the Board of Acupuncture to issue licenses by reciprocity under certain conditions;
(2) Amending the definition of "practice of advanced acupuncture medicine" to remove references to traditional and biomedical internal medicine training;
(3) Amending the continuing education requirements by:
(A) Delaying the implementation until the licensing biennium commencing July 1, 2025; and
(B) Authorizing the Board of Acupuncture to perform random audits on licensees to determine compliance; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
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 H.B. No. 1679, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1679, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,
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____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair |
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