STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3115

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2253

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2253, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Department of Health to require all restaurants and hotel establishments to maintain an inventory of an opioid antagonist;

(2) Permit law enforcement officers to carry an opioid antagonist while on-duty;

(3) Require funds for the purchase of opioid antagonists used by law enforcement officers employed by a county to be paid for using county funds; and

(4) Clarify that emergency personnel and first responders may administer an opioid antagonist to an individual experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Police Department and Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the Department of Health.

Your Committees find that opioid antagonists are highly effective in countering the effects of opioids, saving the lives of many from an opioid overdose. Your Committees further find that quick administration of a opioid antagonist is imperative to preventing an opioid overdose. This measure allows the Department of Health to implement necessary precautionary measures to prevent opioid overdoses by requiring restaurants and hotel establishments to maintain an inventory of an opioid antagonist.

Your Committees note that opioid antagonists can only be purchased by law enforcement officers, yet this measure allows for restaurants and hospitals to maintain an inventory of antagonists. Your Committees find that this apparent discrepancy raises concerns that merit further consideration and respectfully request further examination by subsequent committees to which this measure is referred.

Your Committees have 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 records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2253, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2253, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair