STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1798

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 480

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 480, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination and refer an injured employee for the examination without first obtaining permission from the employee's employer; and

(2) Allow licensed occupational and physical therapists to be deemed qualified to perform functional capacity examinations.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development, Hawaii Insurers Council, Hawaii Medical Association, and one individual.

Your Committees find that an expedient workers' compensation process is critical to the integrity and health of the State's workforce. However, delays in the performance of functional capacity examinations during the workers' compensation process, due to denials or pending approvals from insurers or adjusters, further prolong an employee's recovery and return to work. Delays may also decrease the likelihood that an employee makes a full recovery and return to gainful employment. Therefore, this measure streamlines the State's workers' compensation system by qualifying certain health care professionals to perform functional capacity examinations without first obtaining permission from the employee's employer.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 480, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair