STAND. COM. REP. NO. 758

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 203

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. 203 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VACCINATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that pharmacists may perform certain vaccinations or immunizations and are required to maintain immunization records.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Pharmacy, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, Hawaii Immunization Coalition, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and ten individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that the ability to provide access to care by trained pharmacists in a timely manner is vital to ensuring the health and welfare of the consumers of this State. Pharmacists are among the most accessible heath care providers in the community and are conveniently located in urban and rural communities. Pharmacists are currently authorized to administer the human papillomavirus, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis), meningococcal, or influenza vaccine to persons between the ages of eleven and seventeen years of age. Pharmacists in Hawaii have been administering the influenza vaccine for years and during the 2016 Hepatitis A outbreak, were able to administer the Hepatitis A virus vaccine. Access to pharmacists thus played a major role in ensuring that many people were protected in a timely manner. This measure increases availability of vaccines to adolescents and adults and recognizes pharmacists' expanded presence in the immunization health care arena.

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. 203 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for 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