STAND. COM. REP. NO.  924

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 367

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 367 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that referrals to appropriate alcohol and drug abuse screening and counseling are offered to patients in primary care or emergency room settings when they are suspected by physicians to be at risk for, or diagnosed with, alcohol or other substance use disorders.  Specifically, this bill:

 

     (1)  Requires physicians to offer a screening and counseling referral to patients suspected of alcohol or drug abuse;

 

     (2)  Directs the University of Hawaii (UH) to develop and implement a pilot program at an emergency department of a medical facility in Honolulu for screening, brief intervention, and referral to substance abuse treatment; and

 

     (3)  Appropriates funds to implement the pilot program.

 

     A concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  Mothers Against Drunk Driving supported the measure in part.  The Office of the Lieutenant Governor and UH supported the intent of this bill.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the amounts appropriated to UH to implement the pilot program; and

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to facilitate further discussion.

 

     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 H.B. No. 367, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 367, H.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair