STAND. COM. REP. NO.  249-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2447

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2447 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to continue to ensure access to psychotropic medications by Medicaid recipients by extending the sunset date of the statutory provision from June 30, 2008, to June 30, 2011.

     The Department of Human Services testified in support of the intent of this bill, suggesting that access to psychotropic medications by Medicaid recipients be made permanent.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by repealing the sunset date of the provision, thereby providing permanent access to psychotropic medications by Medicaid recipients.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2447, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2447, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair