STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2303

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2461

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2461 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require practitioners who administer, prescribe, or dispense a controlled substance under schedules II through IV to register with the electronic prescription accountability system as part of the renewal process for controlled substance registration; and

 

     (2)  Expand access to investigative information in the electronic prescription accountability system to certain individuals and for certain purposes.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Medical Association, and two individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, Maui Humane Society, and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the electronic prescription accountability program is an important mechanism for minimizing the abuse of prescription drugs.  Mandatory registration in the program for practitioners who administer, prescribe, or dispense controlled substances will result in an expansion of the program's reach, and is in the public interest.  However, your Committee notes that the electronic prescription accountability program is not relevant to veterinary practitioners due to the nature of their practice, clients, and patients.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Exempting veterinarians from mandatory registration with the electronic prescription accountability system as part of the renewal process for controlled substance registration; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2461, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2461, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair