STAND. COM. REP. NO.1262
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2001
RE: H.B. No. 644
H.D. 1
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2001
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 644, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to reduce medication errors and prescription fill time by:
(1) Allowing the confidential electronic transmittal of prescriptions to authorized agents;
(2) Allowing prescription records to be kept electronically; and
(3) Clarifying and updating definitions and procedures.
Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Pharmacists Association, and Kaiser Permanente.
Your Committee finds that the electronic prescription of drugs reduces medication errors and prescription fill time as a result of complete and legible prescriptions. The anticipated reduction in the improper filling of prescribed medication due to transcription errors will benefit the citizens of the State. Electronic prescribing systems also place drug plan formularies at the prescriber's fingertips. This information aids the practitioner in appropriate drug product selection at the time of prescribing, which saves time, provides for greater formulary compliance, and reduces the cost of health care.
Your Committee
has amended this measure by:(1) Designating sections 1 to 6 as Part I of the measure;
(2) Adding three new sections that provide an exception from liability for pharmacists, institutional facilities, and other organizations that in good faith, redispense or redistribute returned prescription drugs to the needy by:
(A) Establishing a definition of "institutional facility" in section 328C-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(B) Establishing the parameters of the exception from liability in section 328C-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and
(C) Repealing the amendments made by Act 11, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, to section 461-11(c), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to avoid any inconsistency with the newly established exception from liability;
(3) Designating the new sections as Part II;
(4) Designating the renumbered remaining sections as Part III; and
(5) Making numerous technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 644, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 644, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,
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____________________________ DAVID MATSUURA, Chair |
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