STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1619

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1608

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1608, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOLUNTARY EMPLOYEES' BENEFICIARY ASSOCIATION TRUSTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize public employee organizations to establish voluntary employees’ beneficiary association trusts that will provide health benefits to members of the public organization.

Specifically, this measure creates a three-year pilot program for collective bargaining unit (5) to provide health benefits to its members through a VEBA trust, instead of through the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund.

Your Committee finds that the creation of the pilot program will allow for a comparison and contrast of the costs and benefits of providing health benefits through a VEBA trust against the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, in order to promote continued discussion of the matter. Your Committee has also made technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1608, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1608, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair