SSCR3125

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3125

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 816

H.D. 1

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 Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 816, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the State to administer buprenorphine after the administration of an opioid antagonist during an opioid‑related drug overdose response; and

(2) Require the Department of Health to:

(A) Adopt rules that incorporate standard protocols associated with opioid-related drug overdoses and buprenorphine administration;

(B) Allocate resources for EMT training; and

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, State Health Planning and Development Agency, Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the State currently authorizes EMTs to administer an opioid antagonist to reverse opioid overdoses. However, administration of an opioid antagonist has unintended side effects that can cause acute withdrawal symptoms in individuals and lead to severe distress, refusal of further treatment, or increased risk of repeat overdoses. Your Committee further finds that the medication buprenorphine is proven to prevent withdrawal symptoms, and the administration of buprenorphine after an opioid antagonist may reduce the risk of repeat overdoses and provide a bridge to treatment, significantly increasing the likelihood of long-term recovery. This measure will equip EMTs with the necessary tools to improve patient stabilization at the point of care and support a more effective transition from overdue response to ongoing treatment.

Your Committee notes the recommendations made in testimony by the Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch of the Department of Health to implement this measure as a phased pilot program in at least one county with verified linkage-to-care capacity, and authorize statewide expansion as additional treatment resources become available. Your Committee agrees this pilot program approach can responsibly expand access to life‑saving treatment while ensuring clinical oversight, operational readiness, and fiscal sustainability. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to adopt this recommendation.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its contents and inserting the language from S.B. No. 2505, S.D. 1, Regular Session of 2026, a substantively similar measure that:

(A) Authorizes licensed paramedics in a county with a population of 100,000 or less to administer buprenorphine after administration of an opioid antagonist in cases of opioid overdoses, under certain conditions; and

(B) Requires the Department of Health to implement a two-year phased pilot program beginning in one county with a population of 100,000 or less and authorizes expansion of the program statewide as additional treatment resources become available; and

(2) Making it effective upon its approval; and

(3) 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 Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 816, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 816, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair