CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 27-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2529

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2529, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROVIDER ORDERS FOR LIFE SUSTAINING TREATMENT FORM,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to amend the definition of "patient's provider" in State law governing Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment by removing language that requires the provider to examine the patient.

Your Committee on Conference finds that one of the most important documents for patients with a serious illness is a Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form, a portable medical order that documents a patient's care plan outside the hospital and specifies the patient's wishes and directions to health care providers regarding the provision of resuscitative and life-sustaining measures. Your Committee on Conference further finds that language in existing law, which can be interpreted as requiring health care providers to meet with the patient face-to-face before signing the POLST, impedes patients from obtaining POLST in a timely manner, thereby exposing the sickest and most vulnerable patients to the risk of receiving unwanted and unnecessary care. This measure will aid patients in creating or updating POLST documentation by removing lengthy and inefficient requirements.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2529, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2529, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ JACKSON D. SAYAMA Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair