STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1604

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 161

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 161, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE AUDITOR TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE AND SPECIFIC DUTIES OF THE HEALTH EDUCATOR PROFESSION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the State Auditor to convene a working group to determine the scope and specific duties of the health educator profession.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Society for Public Health Education; National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.; Coalition of National Health Education Organizations; and one individual.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that health educators enhance people's quality of life and work to improve the health status of individuals, communities, states, and the nation through primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.  According to the United States Department of Labor, the growth rate for health educators is projected to expand much faster than the national average for other occupations.  Your Committees further find that it is important to address the role of health educators in Hawaii and ensure Hawaii consumers are adequately protected.

 

     This measure requests the Auditor to convene a working group to determine the scope and specific duties of the health educator profession.  However, your Committees find that it would be more appropriate to request the Chairs of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, and House and Senate Committees on Education to convene this working group.  The determination about the scope and specific duties of the health educator profession can then be used as the basis for appropriate legislation relating to a sunrise review on the licensing and regulation of health educators.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requesting the Chairs of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, and House and Senate Committees on Education, rather than the State Auditor, to convene a working group to determine the scope and specific duties of the health educator profession;

 

     (2)  Specifying that the determination by the working group regarding the scope and specific duties of the health educator profession is intended to be used as the basis for appropriate legislation relating to a sunrise review on the licensing and regulation of health educators;

 

     (3)  Amending the composition of the working group;

 

     (4)  Specifying that members of the working group shall not be considered state employees based solely upon their participation in the working group;

 

     (5)  Clarifying the findings to reflect the amended purpose of this measure;

 

     (6)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency; and

 

     (7)  Amending the title for accuracy.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 161, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 161, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means,

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair