THE SENATE
                 THE TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE
                  REGULAR SESSION OF 1999

       COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
             Senator Brian Taniguchi, Co-Chair
               Senator Brian Kanno, Co-Chair

                     NOTICE OF HEARING

        DATE:    Tuesday, February 16, 1999

        TIME:    9:00 a.m.

        PLACE:   Conference Room 016
                 State Capitol
                 415 South Beretania Street


                        A G E N D A


SB 1579  RELATING TO THE LEMON LAW                   CPN,WAM
        Clarifies that the lemon  law rights period applies to
        the purchase of a new or demonstrator motor vehicle.

SB 143   RELATING TO UTILITY TRANSMISSION LINES          CPN
        Requires  that  new  46kV   or  greater  high  voltage
        electric transmission systems in residential areas, or
        near schools  or  licensed  child  care facilities, be
        placed    underground     and     insulated    against
        electromagnetic field emissions.

SB 384   RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES                    CPN
        Requires that 46kV  or  greater  transmission lines in
        residential areas, areas viewed  by visitors, or areas
        important to the film industry, be buried underground.

SB 375   RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES                CPN,WAM
        Creates two panels within the  PUC.  Designates to one
        panel all telecommunications issues,  and to the other
        jurisdiction  over  the  remainder  of  public utility
        matters.

SB 656   RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION  CPN,WAM
        Establishes a  citizen  review  commission  within the
        DCCA  to  review  the  PUC  and  advise  the  consumer
        advocate to ensure public participation in decisions.

SB 778   RELATING TO ENHANCED WIRELESS EMERGENCY 911  CPN,WAM
        SERVICE
        Estalishes enhanced 911 service for mobile phones.

SB 791   RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION  CPN,WAM

 
                  Establishes a PUC intervenors  fund to be administered
                  by the  PUC  to  assist  intervenors in investigations
                  conducted by or proceedings held before the PUC.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SB 813   RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE  CPN,WAM
                  REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST THE GAS UTILITY IN
                  SERVING THE GENERAL PUBLIC
                  Authorizes the issuance of SPR bonds to assist the gas
                  utility  in  providing  utility  gas  services  to the
                  general public.
       
       
       THE FOLLOWING BILLS WERE  DEFERRED  FROM  THE CPN HEARING HELD ON
       02/04/99 AND ARE FOR DECISION MAKING  ONLY.  NO TESTIMONY WILL BE
       ACCEPTED.
       
       
       SB 485   RELATING TO FREE NO-FAULT MOTOR VEHICLE     CPN,WAM
                  INSURANCE.
                  Amends free  no-fault  insurance  coverage  statute by
                  adding a  grandfather  provision  which  would restore
                  free no-fault  coverage  to  individuals  who received
                  public assistance  benefits  in  the  form  of medical
                  services prior to 7/1/94,  and are still receiving the
                  benefits.
       
       SB 528   RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE.               CPN,WAM
                  Exempts  health  insurance   offered  under  federally
                  funded programs by insurers, mutual benefit societies,
                  health  maintenance  organizations,  and  managed care
                  plans from mandated coverage requirements.
       
       SB 573   RELATING TO PATIENT SAFETY AND THE RIGHT TO  CPN,WAM
                  NURSING CARE.
                  Establishes a  Patients  Rights  to  Nursing Care Task
                  Force  to   assist   the   Insurance  Commissioner  in
                  developing rules  to  ensure  quality  nursing care is
                  provided to Hawaii's patients.
       
       SB 780   RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE.               CPN,WAM
                  Requires health insurance  coverage  for medical foods
                  and  low-protein  modified   food   products  for  the
                  treatment of metabolic diseases.
       
       SB 860   RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.                  CPN,WAM
                  Adds marriage and  family  therapists  for purposes of
                  mental health  and  alcohol  and  drug abuse treatment
                  insurance benefits.
       
       SB 872   RELATING TO MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES.       CPN,WAM

 
       a
        Specifies duties under the  constitution and bylaws of
        mutual benefit societies  as  to  notice, proxies, and
        conduct of membership  meetings  and special meetings;
        clarifies information  to  be  included  in  an audit;
        allows insurance commissioner  to determine matters in
        the  public  interest  in  deciding  which  powers and
        duties to exercise.

SB 940   RELATING TO THE INSURANCE PRIVILEGE.        CPN,JDC
        Recognizes  an  insurance  compliance  self-evaluative
        privilege   to   protect    the   confidentiality   of
        communication   relating    to    voluntary   internal
        compliance audits.


        DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW, IF TIME PERMITS.

Persons wishing to  testify  should  submit 30 copies (three-hole
punched) of their  testimony  to  the  committee clerk, Room 414,
State Capitol, 24 hours prior  to the hearing. Testimony may also
be faxed if less than 5  pages in length, to the Senate Sergeant-
At-Arms Office  at  586-6659  or  1-800-586-6659  (toll  free for
neighbor islands), at least 24 hours  prior to the hearing.  When
faxing, please indicate to whom the testimony is being submitted,
the date and time  of  the  hearing,  and  the required number of
copies needed for submittal.

If you require special  assistance  or auxiliary aids or services
to participate in the public hearing process (i.e., sign language
interpreter, wheelchair accessibility,  or parking designated for
the disabled), please contact the  committee clerk 24 hours prior
to the hearing so arrangements can be made.

Public Folder.  A  folder  labeled "Public Folder" containing the
measures and testimonies for  the  hearing  will be available for
shared use by members of the public.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586-6460.



____________________________      _______________________________
Senator Brian Taniguchi           Senator Brian Kanno
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair