Report Title:

Needle Exchange Program; Sunset Provision

Description:

Repeals sunset provision in Act 929, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, making permanent the sale of sterile syringes by qualified individuals to help prevent the transmission of blood borne diseases. (SD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2581

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

Section 1. The legislature finds that the sharing of needles by intravenous drug users is a major cause of the spread of HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and other fatal blood borne diseases. Act 292, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, authorized the sale of sterile syringes by licensed physicians, pharmacists, and other health care providers in an effort to reduce the transmission of blood borne diseases by reducing the use of infected syringes, as well as through prevention education.

Since 2002, the department of health has developed, printed, and distributed fifty-five thousand copies of "Safe Syringe Disposal Options" to local pharmacies. Syringe wholesalers have also agreed to distribute the brochures statewide. Approximately sixteen thousand syringes purchased in pharmacies have been exchanged through the sterile syringe exchange program. The program has produced results that continue to benefit the general public.

The purpose of this Act is to repeal the sunset provision in Act 292, making permanent the sale of syringes by qualified individuals to prevent the transmission of deadly blood borne diseases.

SECTION 2. Act 292, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, is amended by repealing section 2.

["SECTION 2. The director of health shall:

(1) Develop and implement a system to dispose of used syringes received from the public;

(2) Develop and implement a system to track syringes purchased in accordance with this Act that are exchanged for new syringes under the state needle exchange program; and

(3) Submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2002 on the status of implementing the disposal and tracking systems."]

SECTION 3. Act 292, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, is

amended by amending section 4 to read as follows:

"SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval[; provided that section 1 shall take effect on July 1, 2002, and shall be repealed on July 1, 2004]."

SECTION 4. Material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 2004.