STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1582_______

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 970
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which
was referred S.B. No. 970, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BAIL BONDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to exempt bail bonds issued
under section 804-62, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), a section
that supplements the Penal Code, from regulation under section
431:14-104, HRS, of the Insurance Code.

     The Professional Bail Agents Association of Hawaii supported
the measure, testifying that under current law bail bonds are
regulated under both Chapters 431 and 804, HRS, which apply
differing premium rates to bail bonds to the confusion of the
bail bond industry.  The Insurance Commissioner of the Department
of Commerce and Consumer Affairs had no opposition to this bill
so long as premium rate limits under Chapter 804, HRS, would
continue to apply to bail bonds.

     To allow continued discussion of this measure, your
Committee has amended the bill, replacing its contents with that
of H.B. No. 792, H.D. 1, a similar measure that passed out of
your Committee earlier this session and that contains technical,
nonsubstantive differences.


 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1582_______
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 970, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as S.B. No. 970, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the
calendar for Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   RON MENOR, Chair