STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1262

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 505

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 505, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish additional safeguards for the use of prescription opioids to reduce instances of dependency, overdose, and death. 

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires execution of an informed consent process, subject to administration and monitoring by the Department of Health, between a patient and prescribing practitioner in circumstances that carry an elevated risk of creating dependency;

     (2)  Establishes quantitative limits on opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions, subject to specified exceptions; and

     (3)  Clarifies the Board of Nursing's authority to enforce compliance with the Uniform Controlled Substance Act.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Early Childhood Action Strategy.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health, The Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i, CHOW Project, and American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  The Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Medical Board, The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii Medical Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Hawaii College of Emergency Physicians, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Hawaii Society of Clinical Oncology submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting redundant language relating to prescriber registration with the controlled substance electronic prescription accountability system;

     (2)  Clarifying that the currently allowable use of narcotic drugs for detoxification treatment refers to use in the process of medically managed withdrawal;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to promote further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 505, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 505, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair