STAND. COM. REP. NO.  541

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 337

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 337 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ATHLETIC TRAINERS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to require registration for athletic trainers.

 

     The Department of Education, the University of Hawaii, and the Hawaii Association of Athletic Trainers supported this measure.  The Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii supported the intent of the measure.  The Regulated Industries Complaints Office in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the State Auditor, the Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, and an individual opposed this bill.  The Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs provided comments.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii is one of only three states that does not currently regulate the practice of athletic training.  Regulation of this industry will require that registered athletic trainers must demonstrate minimum competency in the field.

 

     Your Committee amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Adding a definition of "athlete";

 

     (2)  Prohibiting athletic trainers from seeking reimbursement from third party insurance payers for their services; and

 

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 337, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 337, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary,

 

 

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair

 

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair