STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1115-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2392

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2392, S.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.  Specifically, the measure:

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

     (2)  Creates immunity for emergency personnel and first responders who administer an opioid antagonist to a person suffering from an opioid-related drug overdose;

     (3)  Authorizes emergency personnel and first responders to administer opioid antagonists;

     (4)  Requires Medicaid coverage for opioid antagonists;

     (5)  Allows harm reduction organizations to store and distribute opioid antagonists; and

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

The Department of Health, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Community Alliance on Prisons, Ku Aloha Ola Mau, Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses, Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services and Family Treatment Services, The CHOW Project, Walgreen Co., and a few individuals provided testimony in support of the measure.  The Department of Human Services and Hawaii Association for Justice provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Health to monitor adverse drug reaction from opiate antagonist use.  To do so hospital emergency departments must report to the Department of Health on adverse drug reactions following the administration of opiate antagonist use;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     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 S.B. No. 2392, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2392, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair