Bill > SB851

This bill aims to address the ongoing opioid crisis in Hawaii by expanding emergency medical technicians' (EMTs) ability to respond to opioid overdoses. Specifically, the bill authorizes EMTs to administer buprenorphine, a medication that helps prevent withdrawal symptoms, after initially administering an opioid antagonist (a drug that reverses overdose effects) during an overdose response. The legislation requires the Department of Health to develop new emergency medical service protocols that classify opioid overdoses as life-threatening emergencies, similar to heart attacks and strokes, and to create guidelines for administering buprenorphine in alignment with national best practices. The bill mandates that the department allocate resources for EMT training in buprenorphine administration and coordinate with emergency medical services providers to implement these new protocols. The context for this bill is Hawaii's increasing overdose rates, with over 280 overdose deaths in 2022, and is informed by successful pilot programs in other states like California, New Mexico, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island that have shown promising results in reducing overdose deaths and improving patient outcomes by using buprenorphine in emergency medical settings.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=851&year=2026