STAND. COM. REP. NO. 407

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 608

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 608 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require pharmacies to:

(A) Provide accessible prescription drug label information to individuals who have difficulty seeing or reading standard printed prescription drug container labels; and

(B) Inform the public that prescription drug label information is available in alternate accessible formats for individuals who have difficulty seeing or reading prescription drug container labels; and

(2) Require the Board of Pharmacy to adopt certain rules by December 31, 2023.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board, National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Kupūna Caucus, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, and nine individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Board of Pharmacy, and Walgreen Co.

Your Committee finds that existing state law requires dispensing pharmacies to label each prescription drug container with specific information, identifying the drug and providing information necessary for health and safety. However, individuals who have vision impairments and cannot see or read the labels may inadvertently take the wrong medication, the wrong amount, at the wrong time, and under the wrong instructions, thereby endangering their health and safety. This measure will reduce these concerns by requiring pharmacies to provide accessible prescription drug label information to individuals who need them.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 608, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 608, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair