STAND. COM. REP. NO. 343

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 629

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 629 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THERAPY SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand the scopes of practice for occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech pathologists employed by or contracted with the Department of Education to diagnose students with a medical condition and treat the students.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Department of Education; Hawaiʻi FASD Action Group; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Hawaii Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; American Physical Therapy Association-Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Physical Therapy.

Your Committee finds that timely access to occupational, physical, and speech therapy services is critical for supporting students' development, particularly with physical, sensory, cognitive, and communication skills. These services will enable students to benefit more effectively from their learning environments and participate more fully in educational and social activities.

Your Committee further finds that amending Hawaii's occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech pathology laws is necessary to promote a more cost effective model for delivering therapeutic services to students in the Department of Education. By allowing these services to be provided after a diagnosis of a medical condition without a physician's diagnosis, the Department of Education can more effectively bill for these services, generating additional funding to support and enhance therapeutic resources for students.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider the concerns raised in testimony by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and other entities regarding whether the actions allowed by this measure fall outside the scope of practice for occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech pathologists.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 629, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 629, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair