STAND. COM. REP. NO.  236-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2365

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2365 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

(1)  Preserve the benefits of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act for Hawaii residents;

 

(2)  Ensure a smooth transition from a state-based marketplace to a state-based marketplace using the federal platform for eligibility and enrollment of individuals and families; and

 

(3)  Develop a system to allow small businesses to continue to take advantage of tax credits afforded by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act).

 

     The Department of Human Services, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Office of Enterprise Technology Services, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and ILWU Local 142 testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs commented on this measure.


Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committees respectfully request that it consider

appropriating:

 

(1)  $1,165,000 to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for fiscal year 2016-2017 for operating expenses, including the hiring of staff, to carry out the purposes of this measure; and

 

(2)  $2,918,788 to the Department of Human Services for fiscal year 2016-2017 for operating expenses, including the hiring of staff, to carry out the purposes of this measure.

 

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Clarifying the statutory authority regarding the regulatory jurisdiction of the Insurance Commissioner;

 

(2)  Making the appropriations in unspecified amounts;

 

(3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2365, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2365, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair