Bill Text: HI HB178 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Social Workers; Continuing Education

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-06-26 - Act 183, 6/25/2013 (Gov. Msg. No. 1286). [HB178 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-HB178-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  230

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 178

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 178 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require licensed social workers in Hawaii to complete continuing education courses as a condition of license renewal.

 

     Specifically, this measure requires licensed social workers in Hawaii to:

 

(1)  Complete a minimum of fifteen credit hours of continuing education courses for the licensing renewal period beginning July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2016; and

 

(2)  Complete a minimum of forty-five credit hours of continuing education courses during each licensing renewal period beginning July 1, 2016.

 

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Chapter, Hawaii Psychological Association, and eleven concerned individuals, including licensed social workers, and graduate students and professors of social work, submitted testimony in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that licensed social workers provide necessary services in prevention, intervention, and treatment to a broad spectrum of clients, many of whom are vulnerable or in crisis.  However, unlike many other licensed professionals, social workers are not required to complete continuing education courses in order to renew their licenses.  Hawaii is one of only three jurisdictions that do not require continuing education for social workers.  Your Committee finds that this measure requiring licensed social workers to complete continuing education courses will ensure that licensed social workers in Hawaii maintain their professional competency and keep current with new developments in the practice of their profession.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 1, 2112, to encourage continued discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 178, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 178, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair