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. 2472 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to promote the health and safety of Hawaii's citizens by permanently allowing for the sale of syringes in Hawaii.

The Department of Health, Department of Public Safety, University of Hawaii School of Medicine, Life Foundation, Drug Policy Action Group, AIDS Community Care Team, Malama Pono-Kauai AIDS Project, CHOW Project, HARM Reduction Hawaii, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, Hepatitis Prevention, Education, Treatment, and Support Network of Hawaii, and Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation testified in support of this measure.

In 2001, the Legislature passed legislation to allow for the sale of sterile syringes in an attempt to curb and prevent the spread of disease. By continuing this practice, your Committee finds that both the practice of sharing used syringes and the potential for transmission of blood-borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis will be greatly reduced.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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. 2472, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2472, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.