STAND. COM. REP. NO. 910

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1486

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1486, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTION ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division Administrator to disclose, at the Administrator's discretion, confidential information from the electronic prescription accountability system, more commonly known as the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program or PDMP, to authorized employees of the Department of Health Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division and the Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention Systems Branch.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the PDMP is a unique resource that shows opioid prescribing and pharmacy dispensing practices and patterns in Hawaii. Increased access to the PDMP will inform the Department of Health's strategic plan for preventing opioid addiction and overdose.

Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Opioid Initiative brought together a wide range of legislators, state and county officials, law enforcement and first responders, health care professionals, and other citizens to work together to develop and implement a plan to reduce prescription opioid abuse and deaths from overdose. This measure is the culmination of the cooperative efforts of the Narcotics Enforcement Division and Department of Health and is intended to fulfill one of the objectives of the Hawaii Opioid Action Plan developed by the Hawaii Opioid Initiative.

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 S.B. No. 1486, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair