STAND. COM. REP. NO. 482

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 659

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 659, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish permitting and education requirements for pharmacists performing certain diagnostic tests or tests waived pursuant to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA); and

(2) Expand the definition of "practice of pharmacy" to include the ordering and collection of specimens for certain diagnostic-related or CLIA-waived tests.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System; Board of Pharmacy; Pharmacare Hawaii; Times Pharmacy; Moloka‘i Drugs, Inc.; CVS Health; Walgreen Co.; Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii; Hawai‘i Pharmacists Association; and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that allowing pharmacists to order and perform certain common diagnostic-related tests for respiratory illnesses such as influenza, streptococcal pharyngitis, and liver function, as well as CLIA-waived tests, will improve and expand patient access to necessary, but simple, health care. This measure facilitates that access by creating a pathway for appropriate training and permitting of pharmacists to serve that role.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 659, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 659, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair