STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1642-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2392

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 3

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2392, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OPIOID ANTAGONISTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to promote the responsible use of opioid antagonists to treat drug overdoses by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Providing immunity for health care professionals and pharmacists who prescribe, dispense, distribute, possess, or administer an opioid antagonist such as naloxone hydrochloride to persons experiencing or at risk of experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose;

 

     (2)  Authorizing emergency personnel and first responders to administer opioid antagonists to a person believed to be suffering from opioid-related drug overdose;

 

     (3)  Requiring Medicaid coverage for opioid antagonists;

 

     (4)  Allowing harm reduction organizations to store and distribute opioid antagonists; and

 

     (5)  Requiring the Department of Health to provide education and training related to opioid-related drug overdose prevention, recognition, and response, including opioid antagonist administration.

 

     The Department of Health; Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses; Community Alliance on Prisons; Injury Prevention Advisory Committee; Hawaii Medical Association; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Drug Policy Action Group; Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Community Health Outreach Work (CHOW) Project; Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services and Family Treatment Services; Walgreen Co.; and numerous individuals supported this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General; Department of Human Services; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Hawaii Association for Justice; and Queen's Health Systems provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Making it take effect upon its approval; and

 

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2392, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2392, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair