STAND. COM. REP. NO. 639-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1825

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1825 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OUT-OF-STATE PRESCRIPTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize out-of-state pharmacies to transfer prescription information to an in-state pharmacy for the initial fill of an out-of-state prescription.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Walgreen Co.; CVS Health; Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Pharmacy.

Your Committee finds that an out-of-state visitor may require prescription medication while in Hawaii. In this situation, the visitor will consult with the visitor's out-of-state physician for acute medication, who would typically issue the prescription to a pharmacy in the visitor's home state. Because existing law allows out-of-state pharmacies to transfer prescription information for refills, but not for initial fills, local pharmacists must contact out-of-state physicians for a verbal prescription order. This results in more work for the pharmacy and can cause delays in treatment for the out-of-state patient. This measure will allow out-of-state patients in Hawaii to receive their medication in a timely manner.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1825, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1825, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair