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:

The purpose of this measure is to make comprehensive updates to the statutory provisions regarding acupuncture practitioners to reflect modernized scopes of practice and licensing requirements.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Acupuncture, Hawaii Acupuncture Association, Acuplan Hawaii, Institute of Clinical Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Mind Balance Hawaii, Kailua Acupuncture Clinic, Longevity Health Center, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, Hawaii Medical Association, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the CHI Lifestyle Medical Center.

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,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair