HB2021 Summary

• Allows physicians, advanced practice registered nurses with prescriptive authority, and physician assistants who are licensed in Hawaii but not physically located in the State to prescribe schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances via telehealth if they have a valid DEA registration and work under contract with or are employed by a Hawaii-based medical entity.

• Permits pharmacies to dispense prescriptions issued by out-of-state practitioners under these limited circumstances.

• Amends Hawaii Revised Statutes to clarify that the requirement for prescriptions to originate from within the State does not apply to practitioners meeting the new telehealth authorization criteria.

• Addresses critical shortages in psychiatric care on neighbor islands and rural Oahu, where Hawaii County faces a 46% shortage of adult psychiatrists and Kauai faces a 62% shortage.

• Takes effect upon approval, with provisions protecting amendments made to controlled substances prescription requirements that would otherwise be repealed June 30, 2023.