STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2067

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2276

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2276 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ACUPUNCTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make comprehensive updates to chapter 436E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, regarding acupuncture practitioners to reflect modernized scopes of practice, titles, and licensing and renewal requirements, including thirty hours of continuing education per licensing biennium.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Acupuncture; Hawaii Acupuncture Association; Longevity Health Center Ltd.; AcuPlan Hawaii; Institute of Clinical Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Inc.; and twenty-two individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association, American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, and five individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that existing law regulating acupuncturists and the acupuncture profession have not been updated in over twenty years.  Since that time, standards in national certifications and accredited education programs for acupuncture have evolved.  This measure makes comprehensive updates to the State's acupuncture licensing law to reflect modernized scopes of practice, titles, and licensing and renewal requirements.

 

     Your Committee acknowledges the testimony of the Board of Acupuncture (Board), which noted that the measure's current implementation date of January 1, 2023, does not provide the Board or the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affair sufficient time to prepare for the new requirements.  Your Committee also acknowledges the Board's concerns that the amendments to the Board's powers are unclear and that the added provisions are better left to administrative rulemaking.

 

     Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Moving this measure's implementation date from January 1, 2023, to July 1, 2023;

 

     (2)  Deleting section 9 of this measure, which amends the Board's powers and duties;

 

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2276, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2276, 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,

 

 

 

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair