STAND. COM. REP. NO. 204

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 144

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 144 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHIROPRACTIC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow chiropractic students to engage in clinical practice as part of their chiropractic college instruction if directly supervised by a licensed chiropractor.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Chiropractic Association, Inc. and sixty individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic.

Your Committee finds that clinical practice allows students to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom in real-world settings, which also helps students receive guidance and feedback from a duly licensed supervisor. Your Committee further finds that clinical practice is especially important for chiropractic students, who must refine their musculoskeletal diagnosis, physical examination, and patient communication skills, which are best developed through diverse, real-world clinical situations. This measure allows chiropractic students enrolled in a chiropractic college to develop essential skills by working directly with patients under the supervision of a licensed chiropractor.

Your Committee acknowledges the concerns raised in the testimony of the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic regarding the lack of clarity in this measure on the definition of "clinical practice" and criteria to qualify as a chiropractic college or chiropractors who can serve as a direct supervisor.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to require the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic to adopt rules to define "clinical practice" and establish criteria to qualify as a chiropractic college or direct supervising licensed chiropractor; and

(2) Making section 1 effective July 1, 2027, to allow the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic time to adopt rules.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 144, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 144, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair