STAND. COM. REP. NO. 85-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2113

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 Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2113 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHARMACY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Pharmacist Workforce Assessment Fee and Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Special Fund to fund and support activities of the College of Pharmacy in strengthening pharmacist workforce assessment and planning efforts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo; Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing; Hawaiʻi Pharmacists Association; Molokaʻi Drugs, Inc.; KTA Super Stores; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance; Board of Pharmacy; and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that with further resources, the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy can proactively address issues of Hawaii's current health care crisis and leverage pharmacists across the health care spectrum to recruit and retain highly qualified pharmacists to practice in the State, create a plan for an innovative pharmacy practice model, and serve as the resource for the pharmacy profession as the medical system shifts to a value and team-based care model where pharmacy will play in integral role in patient outcomes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its 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 Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2113, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2113, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education & Technology,

____________________________

AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair