STAND. COM. REP. NO.  975-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2929

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2929, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to bring impartiality to the independent medical examination (IME) process in the workers' compensation system by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Requiring that mutually agreed upon physicians be used to conduct IMEs; and

 

     (2)  Establishing a process for the appointment of a physician to conduct an IME if the parties cannot mutually agree on a physician to conduct the IME.

 

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, ILWU Local 142, Hawaii Chapter – American Physical Therapy Association, Hawaii Injured Workers Alliance, Vocational Management Consultants, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Human Resources Development, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Association, American Insurance Association, Hawaii Insurers Council, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, and HSI Mechanical, Inc., opposed this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and Hawaii State Chiropractic Association provided comments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2929, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair