STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1040

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 1676

      S.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1676, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure access to health care services in Hawaii's rural and medically underserved areas by clarifying that:

(1)  Telehealth is within the scope of a physician's practice; and

(2)  A provider-patient relationship may be established through telehealth where the provider is licensed to practice medicine in this state.

     The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and MDX Hawaii supported this bill.  The Hawaii Medical Association opposed this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and its Regulated Industries Complaints Office and the Hawaii Medical Board submitted comments.

     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 S.B. No. 1676, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair