STAND. COM. REP. NO. 738

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 608

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 608, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require pharmacies to:

(A) Provide accessible prescription drug label information to individuals who have difficulty seeing or reading standard printed prescription drug container labels; and

(B) Inform the public that prescription drug label information is available in alternate accessible formats for individuals who have difficulty seeing or reading prescription drug container labels; and

(2) Require the Board of Pharmacy to adopt certain rules by December 31, 2023.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Committee of Blind Vendors, National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, and nine individuals.

Your Committee finds that regulation of prescription drug labels is largely a state, not a federal, responsibility. Your Committee also finds that existing state law requires dispensing pharmacies to label each prescription drug container with specific information that identifies the drug and provides information necessary for health and safety. However, individuals with low vision or blindness may experience difficulty in reading the labels, leading them to inadvertently take the wrong type of medication, the wrong dosage at the wrong time or under the wrong instructions, thereby endangering their health and safety. This measure addresses this concern by requiring pharmacies to provide prescription drug label information in alternate formats accessible to individuals who are unable to effectively read standard prescription labels.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 608, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair