STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3248

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2919

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, 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 and intent 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. Opioid antagonists are pharmacist prescribed for the purpose of reversing the effects of an opioid overdose.

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

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 by requiring pharmacists to report opioid antagonist prescriptions to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, thereby improving efficiency for reporting and collecting data to prevent opioid overdose.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair