STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2405

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2200

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Transportation and Energy, to which was referred S.B. No. 2200 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit smoking in a motor vehicle when a minor is present, and to require the Department of Health to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the enforceability of and data collection pertaining to this prohibition.  

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Maui Councilmember Yuki Lei Sugimura, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and four individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Smokers Alliance and three individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that secondhand smoke is a dangerous class A carcinogen, in the same class as asbestos and benzene.  On January 17, 2014, the fiftieth anniversary of the release of the United States Surgeon General's report on the dangers of smoking, the Surgeon General stated that over two and one-half million nonsmokers have died from health problems caused by secondhand smoke since 1964.

 

     Your Committees further find that children run a greater risk of suffering from the damaging health effects of secondhand smoke because they have a higher exposure risk and are more susceptible to health problems.  Your Committees also find that secondhand smoke exposure in vehicles is more concentrated than in bars and restaurants, even when a window is open.

 

     Your Committees also find that eight states, as well as Puerto Rico, and all counties in the State have enacted legislation banning smoking in motor vehicles occupied by minors.  Accordingly, your Committees find that implementing a statewide ban will protect children from involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke as well as create uniformity of application for visitors and residents of all counties of the State. 

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Transportation and Energy that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2200 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Transportation and Energy,

 

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair