STAND. COM. REP. NO. 284-04
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2004
RE: H.B. No. 1839
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2004
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1839 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PAIN PATIENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to establish the Pain Patient's Bill of Rights to improve end-of-life care by, among other things:
(1) Allowing a patient suffering from severe chronic intractable pain various options to relieve the pain; and
(2) Allowing a physician to refuse to prescribe opiate medication, but requiring the physician to inform the patient of other physicians who specialize in the treatment of severe chronic intractable pain using opiates.
The Hawaii Catholic Conference, Hawaii Family Forum, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Right to Life, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. Hospice Hawaii supported the intent of this measure. Compassion in Dying of Hawaii opposed this measure. The Hawaii Medical Association provided comments.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Amending the findings with regards to opiates;
(2) Removing the definition of "intractable pain";
(3) Clarifying that patients have the option to choose from appropriate pharmacologic treatment options; and
(4) Making other technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1839, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1839, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
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