§453-2 License required; exceptions. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, no person shall practice medicine or surgery in the State, either gratuitously or for pay, or offer to practice medicine or surgery in the State, or advertise or announce one's self, either publicly or privately, as prepared or qualified to practice medicine or surgery in the State, or append the letters "Dr.", "M.D.", or "D.O." to one's name with the intent to imply that the person is a practitioner of medicine or surgery, without having a valid unrevoked license or a limited and temporary license obtained from the Hawaii medical board.
(b) Nothing herein shall:
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit healing practices by traditional Hawaiian healers engaged in traditional Native Hawaiian healing practices, both as recognized and certified as such by any kupuna council convened by Papa Ola Lokahi. No person or organization involved with the selection of kupuna council members, the convening of a kupuna council, or the certification process of healers under this subsection shall be sued or held liable for any cause of action that may arise out of their participation in the selection, convening, or certification process. Nothing in this chapter shall limit, alter, or otherwise adversely affect any rights of practice of traditional Native Hawaiian healing pursuant to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii. [L 1896, c 60, §1; am L 1905, c 48, §1; am L 1909, c 124, §1; am L 1919, c 22, §1; am L 1920, c 37, §2; am L 1921, c 14; RL 1925, §1022; am L 1925, c 26, §1; RL 1935, §1200; am L 1939, c 183, §1; RL 1945, §2501; RL 1955, §64-2; am L 1959, c 271, §1; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §19; HRS §453-2; am L 1969, c 257, §1; am L 1973, c 111, §1; am L 1976, c 219, §6; am L 1977, c 167, §12; am L 1978, c 148, §2(2); am L 1982, c 112, §4; am L 1983, c 92, pt of §1(1); am L 1984, c 168, §7; am L 1985, c 68, §14; am L 1987, c 147, §1; am L 1988, c 110, §1; am L 1993, c 163, §1; am L 1997, c 364, §3; am L 1998, c 160, §1 and c 162, §§3, 6; am L 2000, c 209, §1(2); am L 2001, c 304, §§1, 3; am L 2005, c 153, §1; am L 2007, c 91, §1 and c 255, §1; am L 2008, c 5, §3 and c 9, §3; am L 2013, c 189, §2; am L 2014, c 159, §8; am L 2016, c 226, §10; am L 2021, c 119, §4]