STAND. COM. REP. NO.  767

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 605

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 605, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to assist the State Fire Council (SFC) in carrying out its statutory duties by:

 

     (1)  Establishing the Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarette Program Special Fund (Fund);

 

     (2)  Stipulating the funding mechanism for the Fund;

 

     (3)  Requiring moneys in the Fund to be used to defray the costs of implementing the requirements of Hawaii's Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarette Law, including employing a full-time administrator and full-time assistant; and

 

     (4)  Establishing the duties of the full-time administrator and full-time assistant administrator.

 

     The Department of Budget and Finance testified in opposition to this bill.  The Honolulu Fire Department, SFC, Department of Fire and Public Safety of the County of Maui, Kauai Fire Department, and Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the full-time administrator and full-time assistant administrator, among other things, are required to:

 

          (A)  Simply receive the certifications for approximately 600 different brands and styles of cigarettes from the manufacturers, and are not required to verify and approve these certifications;

 

          (B)  Compile a list of the cigarette brands and styles for which manufacturers have submitted certifications rather than just a list of approved brands;

 

          (C)  Post the list of certified brands and styles on a state website for informational purposes only; and

 

          (D)  Submit certified cigarettes to an accredited laboratory for testing to verify that performance standards have been met rather than simply submitting compliance tests to the laboratory;

 

     (2)  Adding language authorizing the SFC to take into consideration costs associated with administration, staffing, and inspection requirements when annually adjusting fees to ensure that actual costs associated with the statutory requirements of Hawaii's Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarette law are defrayed;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 605, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 605, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair