STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2101

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 874

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 874 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERINARY MEDICINE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require veterinarians to provide a written prescription, upon the request of a client, for any animal patient of a client with whom the veterinarian has established an existing veterinarian-client-patient relationship;

(2) Allow pharmacies licensed in the State to dispense medications prescribed by veterinarians; and

(3) Authorize the Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine to establish penalties, which may include fines or suspension or revocation of a license.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine; Hawaiian Humane Society; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and twenty-four individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Libertarian Party of Hawaii.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii pet owners are facing increased costs due to their inability to easily obtain a written prescription for their pets to be filled at a location of their choosing. Removing overly restrictive barriers to competitive pricing and access to veterinary medications will enhance trust between veterinarians and their clients. Therefore, this measure will promote consumer choice and increase affordability by allowing pet owners to take prescriptions written by their pets' veterinarians to a pharmacy of their choice.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that direct communication, posted signage, or digital communication shall be considered sufficient for a veterinarian to comply with the requirement to notify clients of the client's right to request a written prescription from the veterinarian;

(2) Deleting language that would have required written prescriptions to include cautionary statements;

(3) Deleting language that would have prohibited veterinarians from charging any additional fees when providing a written prescription;

(4) Clarifying that veterinarians shall not be liable for certain actions associated with dispersing from a third‑party pharmacy or for any adverse effects or lack of efficacy in treatment due to externally sourced products; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 874, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 874, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair