STAND. COM. REP. NO.  411

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 605

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 605 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 a Reduced Ignition Propensity                     Cigarette Program Special Fund (Program Fund);

 

     (2)  Authorizing SFC to hire an administrator and                   administrative assistant to be responsible for various         administrative and operational functions, including            administering the Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarette        Program; and

 

     (3)  Appropriating funds for the newly-established                  administrator and administrative assistant positions.

 

     The Hawaii Fire Department testified in support of this bill.  The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Maui County Department of Fire & Public Safety, and Kauai Fire Department supported this bill with amendments.  The Department of Budget and Finance offered comments.

 

     Upon careful consideration and in light of testimony received on this measure, your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the enforcement of section 132-16(c), Hawaii              Revised Statutes, as one of the uses of Program Fund               monies;

 

     (2)  Deleting provisions requiring all excess unencumbered              and unexpended monies in the Program Fund to lapse to              the general fund every third fiscal year;

 

     (3)  Amending the duties of the full-time administrator and         assistant authorized to be employed by the measure to              include rulemaking, certifying cigarettes, compiling the      approved brand list, verifying tax stamp compliance,               reviewing and approving alternative test methods, and              submitting compliance tests;

 

     (4)  Deleting the appropriations; and

 

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

 

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

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair