STAND. COM. REP. NO.  430

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2019

 

RE:   H.B. No. 221

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Intrastate Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 221 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTAL ASSISTANTS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish minimum qualifications for certification of dental assistants hired in the State after July 1, 2019, including requiring all dental assistants to be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation by July 1, 2021.

 

For the purpose of a public hearing on this measure, your Committees circulated a proposed H.B. No. 221, H.D. 1, (Proposed Draft) and notified the public that it would be accepting testimony on this proposal, which:

 

     (1)  Requires the Board of Dental Examiners to adopt rules, pursuant to Chapter 91, to establish a regulatory structure for the regulation of dental assistants; and

 

     (2)  Establishes certain criteria that the Board of Dental Examiners must consider when adopting new regulations to certify three levels:  basic-dental assistants, certified dental assistants, and advanced-qualified dental assistants.

 

     The Hawaii Dental Association and many individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Board of Dentistry, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, and a few individuals provided comments.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the education requirement for the basic-level dental assistant certification option;

 

     (2)  Broadening the scope of acceptable certification examinations beyond those administered by the Dental Assisting National Board;

 

     (3)  Removing the advanced-qualified dental assistants certification option;

 

     (4)  Requiring the Board of Dentistry to submit a report to the Legislature detailing the progress of the rules adoption before the 2020 Legislative Session;

 

     (5)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     Should your Committee on Consumer Protection deliberate on this measure further, your Committees on Health and Intrastate Commerce respectfully request that the Board of Dentistry, Hawaii Dental Association, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, and other relevant stakeholders work together to draft language that would address the issues raised by these parties in their testimony.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Intrastate Commerce that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 221, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 221, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Intrastate Commerce,

 

 

____________________________

TAKASHI OHNO, Chair

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair