STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1861

                            Honolulu, Hawaii

                                              , 1999

                            RE:  GOV. MSG. NO. 236
                                 



Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred Governor's Message No. 236, as amended by Governor's
Message No. 356, submitting for study and consideration the
nominations of:

BOARD OF TRUSTEES, HAWAII PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND

     CLIFFORD T. UWAINE, for a term to expire June 30, 1999;

     BRUCE Y. NAKAMURA, for a term to expire June 30, 2000; and

     CLIFFORD T. UWAINE, for a term to expire June 30, 2003,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee notes that Governor's Message No. 356
withdrew the nomination of Donna L. Kekauoha from consideration
by the Senate.

     The United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO (UPW),
presented testimony in support of Mr. Uwaine.  The Hawaii
Government Workers Association AFSCME, while not present,
submitted testimony on behalf of Mr. Uwaine.  An individual who
was not present submitted testimony in support of Reverend
Nakamura. 

     Upon a review of the statements submitted by the nominees,
your Committee finds that the nominees are willing to serve as
volunteers and without compensation to assist in administering

 
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                            STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1861
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the functions of the Board of Trustees of the Hawaii Public
Employees Health Fund.

     Your Committee notes as follows with respect to the specific
qualifications of the nominees:

     Clifford T. Uwaine has served as Division Director for the
UPW for nineteen years.  As Division Director, Mr. Uwaine
negotiates and administers on the union members' behalf, the
UPW's twenty-one private unit sector contracts that include
health, dental, and life insurance benefits.    

     Bruce Y. Nakamura is Resident Minister at Jikoen Hongwanji
Mission and has also served as Assistant to the Director at Honpa
Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Buddhist Study Center and Associate
Minister at Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin.  Reverend Nakamura's
outreach activities include working with prisoners and the
terminally ill, and serving as a grief support counselor. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to
this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the
background, character, experience, and qualifications of the
nominees has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions
to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and
consent to their nominations.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Commerce and
                                   Consumer Protection,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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