STAND. COM. REP. NO. 991

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 652

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 652 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REMOTE DISPENSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make the remote dispensary law permanent by deleting the repeal date of January 2, 2014.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Pharmacy, Hawaii Pacific Health, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and Kaiser Permanente.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Hawaii Community Pharmacists Association and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that many individuals living in underserved or remote areas need improved access to medications and pharmacy services.  Act 212, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, sought to address these issues by permitting remote dispensing pharmacy operations.

 

     Your Committee notes, however, that the location of remote dispensing pharmacies near retail pharmacies may create operational challenges for retail pharmacies, making it difficult for retail pharmacies to remain profitable.  Your Committee further notes that it is unclear the degree to which remote dispensing pharmacies are used by health maintenance organizations throughout the State and that further inquiry is necessary.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting language to amend Act 212, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, sections 461-   (c) and 461-   (o), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to change the prohibited area of operation of any new remote dispensing pharmacy from any location within five miles of any pharmacy to any location within ten miles of any pharmacy;

 

     (2)  Amending section 7 of Act 212, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, to extend the repeal date to January 1, 2016, rather than make the Act permanent; 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 652, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 652, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair