STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2297

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2505

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 S.B. No. 2505 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OPIOID USE DISORDER TREATMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize licensed paramedics to administer buprenorphine after administration of an opioid antagonist in cases of opioid overdoses, under certain conditions;

(2) Require the Department of Health to implement a phased pilot program in at least one county with verified linkage-to-care capacity and authorizes expansion of the program statewide as additional treatment resources become available; and

(3) Require a report to the Legislature evaluating program outcomes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency, one member of the Honolulu City Council, Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hina Mauka, Big Island Substance Abuse Council, and Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that many opioid overdoses are reversed successfully with the administration of an opioid antagonist, such as nalaxone, but that the person treated often does not enter further treatment afterward and may return to drug use quickly. Your Committee further finds that the administration of buprenorphine by trained emergency medical services personnel following naloxone can significantly reduce withdrawal symptoms and increase the likelihood of patients engaging in opioid use disorder treatment. This measure helps prevent repeat opioid overdoses and improve opioid use disorder recovery outcomes.

Your Committee requests that the Department of Health utilize Opioid Settlement Funds to implement the pilot program established by this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to clarify that the authorization for licensed paramedics to administer buprenorphine under this measure and the pilot program to be implemented by the Department of Health shall apply to a county with a population of one hundred thousand or less;

(2) Inserting a blank appropriation amount for the Department of Health to implement the pilot program;

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose;

(4) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2026, and a repeal date of July 1, 2028; 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 Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2505, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2505, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair