STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1056

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 426

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 426, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to enhance prescription drug access for public assistance recipients by granting prescriptive authority for psychotropic medications to an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who has entered into a collegial relationship with a psychiatrist or physician.  This bill also:

     (1)  Requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to report annually on the number of prescriptions written under the law and the cost impact of the law; and codifies this requirement under section 346-59.9, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS); and

     (2)  Ensures that the law will continue to apply to QUEST plans by repealing the sunset of the law as it applies to those plans.

     DHS, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  A concerned individual supported this bill with amendments. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the condition that an APRN enter into a collegial relationship with a psychiatrist or physician and specifying, instead, that an APRN have prescriptive authority under Chapter 457, HRS, to prescribe psychotropic medications; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 426, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 426, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair