STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3096

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2233

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2233, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require certain classes of health care professionals, as determined by the Director of Health, to attend an annual continuing education course developed by the Department of Health on health issues that are unique to the State; and

     (2)  Require every laboratory director or health care provider to provide the Director of Health with an electronic mail address for the purpose of enabling the Department of Health to provide public health information on communicable or dangerous diseases or conditions in the State.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American College of Physicians, Hawaii Chapter.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board; Hawaii Medical Association; Hawai‘i Pacific Health; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; American College of Emergency Physicians, Hawaii Chapter; Hawai‘i Academy of Family Physicians; and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Department of Health.

     Your Committee finds that the recent dengue fever epidemic on the island of Hawaii has demonstrated the importance of rapid dissemination of information to physicians and the public to combat emergency infectious diseases.  It would be useful to create and maintain a system for active information sharing from the Department of Health to practicing physicians and other health care professionals.  This system would enable the Department of Health to send out currently relevant information about diseases and reporting requirements in an efficient and timely manner.

     Your Committee notes that an appropriate effective date for this measure would be upon approval; provided that data collection of electronic mail addresses shall begin with affected licenses beginning after July 1, 2017.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting language that would have required certain classes of health care professionals, as determined by the Director of Health, to attend an annual continuing education course developed by the Department of Health on health issues that are unique to the State;

     (2)  Inserting language requiring the laboratory data that a laboratory director shall report to the Department of Health regarding an individual affected by or suspected of being affected by a communicable or dangerous disease or condition to include the individual's complete demographic information;

     (3)  Deleting language that would have required every laboratory director or health care provider to provide the Director of Health with an electronic mail address for the purpose of enabling the Department of Health to provide public health information on communicable or dangerous diseases or conditions in the State;

     (4)  Inserting language that requires every physician, osteopath, physician's assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, or naturopath to provide the licensing authority with a current electronic mail address at the time of application for licensure and renewal;

     (5)  Inserting language that allows the licensing authority of certain health care professional classes to share the electronic mail addresses with only other state or federal agencies, upon request, for purposes of public health and safety and to use the electronic mail addresses for any purpose related to the license; and

     (6)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2233, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2233, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair