HB 951 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

Summary

Allows a patient who has been seen in person by a health care provider who is in the same medical group as the prescribing provider authorized pursuant to section 329-33, HRS, to be prescribed an opiate prescription for a three-day supply or less via telehealth. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed May 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB951_HD2 → HB951_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill amends Hawaii's telehealth prescribing rules to allow physicians to prescribe short-term opiate medications (three days or less) via telehealth to patients who have previously been seen in person by a provider in the same medical group. The change aims to balance pain management access with addiction prevention by permitting remote prescribing only when there is an established in-person relationship within the same practice group.

Scope change

The bill expands telehealth prescribing eligibility from requiring a direct in-person consultation with the prescribing physician to allowing prescriptions from any provider within the same medical group who has previously seen the patient in person.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the requirement for telehealth opiate prescriptions from needing an in-person visit with the prescribing physician to only requiring an in-person visit with any provider in the same medical group.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 3000 to upon legislative approval, making the change immediate rather than delayed.

SCOPE

Added reference to section 329-33 regarding provider authorization in the eligibility criteria.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in SD 1 with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Introduced

House agrees to Senate amendment(s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 4, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 581) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in CPN were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Richards.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN will hold a public decision making on 03-27-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1261) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to HHS, CPN.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 305).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 515) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Chun, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to HLT, CPC, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

12 primary · 0 co-sponsors