STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1095-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2919

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that the dispensing of a pharmacist-prescribed opioid antagonist be reported to the State's electronic prescription accountability system.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety and Board of Pharmacy.

Your Committee finds that Act 255, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, allows pharmacists to issue prescriptions for opioid antagonists, thereby increasing access to lifesaving drugs. Your Committee further finds that the electronic prescription accountability system, or Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, increases Hawaii's public health surveillance capacity to better protect the community from prescribing practices that are of concern, especially the over-prescription of opioids. This measure centralizes efforts to track dispensing and distribution of opioid antagonists by requiring pharmacists to report opioid antagonist prescriptions to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, thereby improving efficiency for reporting and collecting data to help prevent opioid overdose.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 2919, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary.

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

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair