STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2364

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3122

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 3122 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Director of Health to issue public health standing orders for patients to self-refer to certain health care screening services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaiʻi Academy of Physician Assistants, Hawaiʻi Public Health Association, and CARES.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Service Association and Hawaiʻi Pacific Health.

Your Committee finds that the State's well-documented physician shortage may restrict patient access to preventative care, resulting in sub-optimal outcomes, increased costs, and decreased quality of life. Your Committee further finds that public health standing orders may help reduce barriers to receiving secondary prevention services. This measure will increase receipt of preventative care, advance population health, move routine care from the examination room directly to the patient, and create more time for providers to address individualized patient care.

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. 3122, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3122, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary.

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

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair