STAND. COM. REP. NO.  287

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 676

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 676 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prevent the spread of infectious disease and related cancers by authorizing pharmacists to administer the human papillomavirus vaccine to individuals aged eleven through seventeen, pursuant to a prescription issued by the individual's primary care provider.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Hawaii Community Pharmacists Association, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Walgreens Co., CVS Health, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and many individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Healthcare Freedom Hawaii, Hawaii Federation of Republican Women, and several individuals.  The Board of Pharmacy, Hawaii Immunization Coalition, and an individual submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Authorizing pharmacists to administer the meningococcal vaccine, influenza vaccine, and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine, in addition to the human papillomavirus vaccine, to individuals aged eleven to seventeen;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2090, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and consistency.

     Your Committee notes that the federal Centers for Disease Control recommends that the human papillomavirus vaccine be administered to adolescents at the age of eleven or twelve.  Further, this vaccine has been included in the Adolescent Platform, the standard series of immunizations recommended for individuals at this age, for approximately ten years.  Adolescents in Hawaii have been receiving the human papillomavirus at doctors' offices and clinics for years prior to the introduction of this measure.

     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 H.B. No. 676, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 676, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair