Bill Text: HI SB2522 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Veterinarians; Continuing Education

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-03-08 - (H) Referred to CPC, FIN, referral sheet 41 [SB2522 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB2522-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2512

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2522

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2522 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR VETERINARIANS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a veterinary license renewal requirement of at least twenty credit hours of continuing education during each licensing biennium.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Veterinary Examiners, Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, Windward Community College, and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

 

     Your Committee finds that the veterinarian profession is dedicated to a lifetime of learning.  Veterinarians attend conferences, read medical journals, and complete online continuing education courses.  This measure would require continuing education so that veterinarians may continue to provide the best care for their animal patients.  Your Committee further finds that the Board of Veterinary Examiners, Hawaii veterinarians, administrators in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, education providers, and legislators are all in agreement about mandating continuing education.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying which courses are acceptable to meet the twenty credit hour continuing education requirement;

 

     (2)  Specifying that failure to renew a license on or before June 30 of each even-numbered year shall constitute forfeiture of the license, until certain requirements are met for restoration of the license;

 

     (3)  Delaying the application of the continuing education requirement until the licensing renewal deadline of June 30, 2016, in order to hold a valid license for the period beginning July 1, 2017, and thereafter;

 

     (4)  Removing the provision that would have provided for the suspension of a license until continuing education requirements were met and the license was renewed; and

 

     (5)  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 Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2522, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2522, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

		____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair