STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1082

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 72

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 72, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHARMACY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Beginning January 1, 2026, require pharmacy technicians to be registered with and obtain a certificate of registration from the Board of Pharmacy;

(2) Impose a duty on pharmacists-in-charge to report violations conducted by registered pharmacy technicians; and

(3) Specify that supervising registered pharmacists are responsible for the actions of registered pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Pharmacy; University of Hawaiʻi System; Walgreen Co.; Hawaiʻi Pharmacists Association; and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that pharmacy technicians are health care professionals working under the supervision of a pharmacist and have an essential role in the daily operation of pharmacies, including the provision of services such as dispensing medications, processing insurance claims, preparing sterile compounds such as intravenous solutions and chemotherapy, and with additional certifications, administering vaccines to patients. Your Committee further finds that Hawaii is the only state that does not maintain a list of practicing pharmacy technicians and that the registration of pharmacy technicians is warranted and appropriate for the level of responsibility and trust afforded by the public. This measure requires pharmacy technicians to be registered with the Board of Pharmacy to ensure that pharmacy technicians have the appropriate background and supervision, can receive timely communications and updates regarding relevant practice and regulation changes that impact their work, and are able to access training opportunities as the scope of practice of pharmacy technicians expands nationwide.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required the supervision of a registered pharmacy technician by a registered pharmacist to be "direct";

(2) Deleting language from the definition of "supervision" that would have required the responsible registered pharmacist to be physically present to oversee a registered pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician performing certain acts;

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

(4) 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 H.B. No. 72, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 72, H.D. 2, 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