STAND. COM. REP. 2315

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 3127

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3127 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit restrictions upon a physician's ability to prescribe FDA-approved mental health medications under the Hawaii Rx and Medicaid prescription drug expansion programs.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and United Self Help. Testimony in opposition to this measure was received from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that FDA-approved medications under Hawaii Rx and Medicaid should be available to physicians because medication management in serious mental illness situations is extremely complex and flexibility is critical.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a five-year sunset clause; and

(2) Requiring the Department of Human Services to report back to the Legislature after three years.

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. 3127, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3127, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair