STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1163

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 426

       H.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 426, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide individuals receiving public assistance greater accessibility to psychotropic medications.

     Specifically, this measure provides prescriptive authority under chapter 457, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and repeals the sunset date to ensure continuous access to psychotropic medications for Medicaid fee-for-service and Medicaid QUEST plans.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and six individuals.  The Hawaii Medical Association submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committees find that Advanced Practice Registered Nurses are an integral part of the mental health care team, particularly in rural areas of the State where there is a critical shortage of psychiatrists accepting Medicaid patients.  Enabling Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with prescriptive authority to prescribe psychotropic medications to Medicaid patients will help improve access to quality health care for Medicaid beneficiaries.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 426, H.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair