STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3128

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 3075

       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. 3075, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Board of Psychology to establish a pilot program to grant prescriptive authority to certain qualified clinical psychologists practicing in counties with populations of less than one hundred thousand persons, licensed in the State before January 1, 2020, and who meet specific education, training, and registration requirements.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Mayor of Kauai and seven individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Hawai‘i Psychiatric Medical Association and three individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Psychology.

 

     Your Committee finds that there is a significant shortage of prescribing mental health care providers available to serve the needs of the State's residents.  This lack of access to appropriate mental health treatment has serious and irrevocable consequences for many Hawaii residents.  Your Committee further finds that authorizing qualified clinical psychologists with appropriate advanced training to prescribe from a limited formulary of psychotropic medication will benefit Hawaii residents who live in rural or medically underserved communities, where mental health professionals with prescriptive authority are in short supply.

 

     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. 3075, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair