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. 646, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow pharmacists and health care providers to sell hypodermic syringes for the purpose of preventing the transmission of disease.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Governor's Committee on HIV/AIDS, Community Health Outreach Work to Prevent AIDS Project, Hawaii Pharmacists Association, Hawaii Medical Association, Maui AIDS Foundation, Hawaii HIV Prevention Community Planning Group, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Association, Hawaii Nurses' Association, and Harm Reduction Hawaii. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and the Police Department.

Your Committee realizes the sharing of needles by intravenous (IV) drug users is a major cause of the spread of HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and other fatal blood borne diseases. Your Committee further finds that although this measure will not decrease the use of drugs, your Committee is satisfied that it will reduce the transmission of deadly blood born diseases. The cost of care for infected individuals impose great economic cost on the State to provide medical services through the QUEST, Medicaid, and Medicare programs. In fact, studies have shown that the lifetime cost of caring for someone with HIV/AIDS is estimated at $149,000. If this program can help save lives and reduce the medical cost, then your Committee supports this measure and recommends its passage.

Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents and inserting language from S.B. No. 1121, which removes the additional requirements on the Director of Health to implement a system to dispose of used syringes, develop a tracking system for newly-purchased syringes, and submit a report on the implementation of the disposal and tracking systems. S.B. No. 1121 also provides an upon approval effective date.

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. 646, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 646, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.