STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3848

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1575

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1575, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Expand the scope of practice for physician assistants; and

(2) Require a sampling of medical records that includes certain amounts of controlled substance prescriptions, rather than all medical records, to be reviewed when physician assistants prescribe controlled substances.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Disability and Communication Access Board, Hawaii Medical Board, Hawai‘i Academy of Physician Assistants, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii, Kaiser Permanente, The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii Medical Association, and three individuals.

Your Committees find that there is a shortage of licensed physicians in the State. Your Committees further find that physician assistants are highly trained health care professionals authorized to serve as primary care providers and that broadening the scope of practice for physician assistants can therefore help address the State's shortage of licensed physicians. This measure lowers restrictions on physician assistants' practice and better aligns the scope of practice for state-licensed physician assistants with national practices.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2022; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1575, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1575, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair