STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1847-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3122

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3122, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH STANDING ORDERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce barriers to health care access and expand population health-based interventions by:

(1) Authorizing the Director of Health to issue public health standing orders for patients to self-refer to certain health care screening services;

(2) Establishing requirements for the provision of items or services pursuant to a public health standing order; and

(3) Establishing the Public Health Standing Orders Working Group to provide advice and recommendations to the Department of Health regarding public health standing orders.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Hawaii Association of Health Plans; Hawaii Medical Service Association; AlohaCare; Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center; Hawaiʻi Pacific Health; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Hep Free Hawaiʻi; and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that under existing processes, a patient who wants to obtain a routine health screening must first schedule an office visit with their provider to receive an order for the screening before scheduling another appointment for the actual screening. This measure would eliminate the need for the first appointment and allow a patient to refer themselves for the screening – saving time and money.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2024; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3122, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3122, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair