STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1494

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 646

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 646, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SALE OF STERILE SYRINGES FOR THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow pharmacists and health care providers to sell sterile hypodermic syringes for the purpose of preventing the transmission of disease.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc., Community Health Outreach Work to Prevent AIDS Project, Hawaii Pharmacists Association, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii HIV Prevention Community Planning Group, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and Hawaii Nurses' Association. Testimony in opposition was received from the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu Police Department, and a private citizen.

Currently, the controlled substances law prohibits the use of drug paraphernalia, including syringes. This measure is intended to create an exception for the use of sterile hypodermic syringes to prevent the transmission of dangerous blood-borne diseases, particularly HIV.

Your Committee realizes the sharing of needles by intravenous (IV) drug users is a major cause of the spread of HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and other fatal blood borne diseases. Your Committee finds that although this measure will not decrease the use of drugs, your Committee believes that it will reduce the transmission of deadly blood born diseases by reducing the use of infected syringes and by disseminating important prevention information.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 646, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 646, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair