STAND. COM. REP. NO.  510-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2459

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2459 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTISTRY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support the safe and effective delivery of anesthesia and sedation by dentists by requiring any dentist who prescribes or administers general anesthesia, intravenous-conscious sedation, or conscious sedation to possess:

 

     (1)  Written authorization from the Board of Dental Examiners to prescribe or administer anesthesia or sedation; and

 

(2)  Site certification from the Board of Dental Examiners to prescribe or administer anesthesia or sedation.

 

     The Department of Health and two individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Dental Association and an individual opposed this measure.  The Board of Dental Examiners commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate continued discussion; and

 

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

 

     Your Committee notes that new administrative rules relating to dentists and dental hygienists were adopted on January 27, 2014.  The new rules include provisions regarding the administration of anesthesia and sedation.  Should this measure proceed through the legislative process, your Committee respectfully requests that any statutory changes pertaining to dentistry be contemplated with consideration to the administrative rules that were recently approved.

 

     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 H.B. No. 2459, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2459, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair