CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 156

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1359

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir and Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1359, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE PHARMACY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this bill is to improve access to prescription drugs by:

 

(1)  Creating a Hawaii State Pharmacy Assistance Program by merging the current State Pharmacy Assistance Program which coordinates the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit and the Hawaii Rx Plus Program under a single comprehensive Hawaii State Pharmacy Assistance Program umbrella; and

 

(2)  Requiring the Department of Human Services to take all steps necessary to enable participation in joint  prescription drug purchasing agreements with any other health benefits plan or organization within or outside of this state that agrees to participate in a joint purchasing agreement.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $50,000;

 

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2008; and

 

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1359, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1359, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 

 

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Co-Chair

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Co-Chair

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Co-Chair

 

 

____________________________

JOHN MIZUNO, Co-Chair