RELATING TO PHARMACY.

SB2857

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2857

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to pharmacy
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds there is a need to
support the Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy to ensure the quality of health
care and improve access to care for the people of the State.
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With further resources, the college can
proactively address issues of the State's current health care crisis and
leverage pharmacists to fill gaps in care related to medication
management.
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Pharmacists are the most
accessible health care providers and strongly embedded as a trusted resource in
many remote communities.
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The college
could leverage pharmacists across the health care spectrum to recruit and
retain highly qualified pharmacists to practice in the State, create a plan for
an innovative pharmacy practice model, and serve as the resource for the
pharmacy profession as the medical system shifts to a value and team-based care
model where pharmacy will play an integral role in patient outcomes.

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The purpose of this Act is to
establish a pharmacist workforce assessment fee to fund activities of the
Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy to support pharmacist workforce assessment
and planning efforts.

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SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part V, subpart C, to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

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"
�304A-
�
Daniel
K. Inouye college of pharmacy special fund.
�

(a)
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There is established the Daniel K. Inouye
college of pharmacy special fund, to be administered and expended by the
university of Hawaii.

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(b)
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The following shall be deposited into the
special fund:

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(1)
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Appropriations
by the legislature;

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(2)
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Pharmacist
workforce assessment fees established pursuant to section 461- ;

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(3)
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Grants,
donations, gifts, or other income received for the purposes of the special
fund; and

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(4)
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Interest earned
or accrued on moneys in the special fund.

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(c)
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Moneys in the special fund shall be used to
support the Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy's activities related to
pharmacist workforce assessment and planning within the State; provided that
the pharmacist workforce assessment fees transferred and deposited into the
special fund pursuant to section 461- shall be used to
support pharmacist workforce assessment and planning efforts, including the
recruitment and retention of pharmacists, for rural and medically underserved
areas of the State.
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These efforts shall
include but not be limited to:

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(1)
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Maintaining
accurate pharmacist workforce assessment information and providing or updating
personal and professional information, which shall be maintained in a secure
database;

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(2)
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Providing loan
repayment to pharmacists who commit to working in medically underserved areas
of the State as part of the Hawaii state loan repayment program administered by
the Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy; and

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(3)
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Providing
scholarships to qualifying pharmacy students, to be determined by the Daniel K.
Inouye college of pharmacy.

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(d)
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The Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy may
disclose information specific to any pharmacist only with the express written
consent of that pharmacist.
"

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SECTION 3.
�
Chapter 461, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

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"
�461-
�
Pharmacist
workforce assessment fee.

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(a)
�
There
shall be assessed upon every license and permit issued by the board a
pharmacist workforce assessment fee, as determined under subsection (b), that
shall be transferred and deposited into the Daniel K. Inouye college of
pharmacy special fund established under section 304A- .

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(b)
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The pharmacist workforce assessment fee shall
be as follows:

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(1)
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$ ,
for each renewed license as a pharmacist;

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(2)
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$ ,
for each new or renewed wholesale prescription drug distributor license;

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(3)
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$ ,
for each new or renewed pharmacy permit under section 461-14; and

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(4)
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$ ,
for each new or renewed permit under section 461-15.
"

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SECTION
4
.
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Section 461-8,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read
as follows:

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(a)
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All licenses and permits issued by the board,
except temporary licenses issued under section 461-7, shall be renewed
biennially on or before December 31 of each odd-numbered year.
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Failure to pay the biennial fee and
pharmacist
workforce assessment fee and
to satisfy the continuing education
requirement on or before December 31 of each odd-numbered year, shall
constitute a forfeiture of the license as of the date of expiration.
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Failure to pay the biennial fee
and
pharmacist workforce assessment fee
on or before December 31 of each
odd-numbered year shall constitute a forfeiture of the permit as of the date of
expiration.

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(b)
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Any license or permit forfeited pursuant to subsection (a) may be
restored within three years upon payment of any penalty fee, the current
biennial fees, and the renewal fee
and pharmacist workforce assessment fee

for the next biennium, if applicable, upon submission of proof of compliance
with the continuing education requirement for the prior biennium, and upon
meeting any other requirements specified in rules adopted pursuant to chapter
91."

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SECTION
5
.
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Section 461-16,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as
follows:

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"(a)
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The board shall collect application, license,
and permit fees
and the pharmacist workforce assessment fee
for each
permit to operate a pharmacy or for each license to operate as a wholesale
prescription drug distributor and a fee for the issuance of a permit in
accordance with section 461-15(a)(1), (5), (6) and (7)."

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SECTION 6.
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The director of commerce and consumer affairs
shall disburse on a quarterly basis from the compliance resolution fund,
established pursuant to section 26-9(o), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to the credit
of the Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy special fund established pursuant
to section 304A- , Hawaii Revised Statutes, all moneys
collected from the pharmacist workforce assessment fee assessed pursuant to
section 461- , Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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SECTION 7.
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There is appropriated out of the compliance
resolution fund the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to be deposited into the
Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy special fund established pursuant to
section 304A- , Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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The sum shall be reimbursed from the
Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy special fund to the compliance resolution
fund by July 1, .

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SECTION 8.
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There is appropriated out of the Daniel K.
Inouye college of pharmacy special fund the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the purposes of the
special fund as authorized under section 304A- (c), Hawaii
Revised Statutes.

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The sum appropriated shall be
expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 9.
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Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
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New statutory
material is underscored.

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SECTION 10.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Pharmacy;
Pharmacists; Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Special Fund; Pharmacist
Workforce Assessment Fees; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Special Fund to support pharmacist
workforce assessment and planning efforts.
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Establishes the pharmacist workforce assessment fee.
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Appropriates funds.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.