STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1215

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 367

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 367, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to reduce the prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse.

 

     Specifically, this measure requires physicians to offer patients whom they believe abuse drugs or alcohol, to alcohol and drug abuse screening and counseling.  This measure also establishes a pilot program within the emergency department of a major medical facility in Honolulu for screening, brief intervention, and referral to substance abuse treatment.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Mothers Against Drunk Driving-Hawaii, Kahi Mohala, and one individual.  The Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Health submitted testimony in support of this measure with comments.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association.  The Board of Medical Examiners submitted comments.

 

     Your Committees find that screening, briefing, intervention, referral, and treatment of individuals who come into an emergency medical facility as a result of an alcohol or drug related incident, has been shown to significantly reduce alcohol and drug abuse recidivism and the destructive results it may cause.

 

     Your Committees further find that supporting a pilot program will facilitate the reduction of further costs to the community, criminal behavior, and health care costs.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the requirement of physicians to refer patients to screening and counseling services;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the pilot program shall be for two years, and at any other facility deemed proper by the administering agency;

 

     (3)  Requiring the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine to submit a report to the Legislature with its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation regarding the success and continuation of the pilot program;

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2007; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 367, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 367, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 


Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 

 

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair