STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1189

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   S.B. No. 239

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOBACCO SETTLEMENT SPECIAL FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to address the use of tobacco settlement moneys by:

 

     (1)  Extending the John A. Burns School of Medicine's (JABSOM) authorization to use a certain portion of its share of Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Fund moneys for operating expenses until 2015 while reducing this portion by an unspecified percentage each fiscal year until the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015;

 

     (2)  Establishing the University of Hawaii School of Public Health Special Fund to finance the establishment of a School of Public Health; and

 

     (3)  Directing the reduced portion of JABSOM's share of Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Fund moneys allowed for operating expenses into the University of Hawaii School of Public Health Special Fund.

 

     The Hawaii Medical Association and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The University of Hawaii, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Hawaii Pacific Health, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported this measure with amendments.  The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii opposed this bill.  The Department of Health, Department of Budget and Finance, American Heart Association, and American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific, Inc., provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Establishing the Hawaii Medical Doctor Loan Program and a special fund to support the program;

 

     (2)  Establishing the Hilo Medical Center Rural Interdisciplinary Residency Program and a special fund to implement and sustain the program;

 

     (3)  Directing the reduced portion of JABSOM's share of Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Fund moneys allowed for operating expenses into the University of Hawaii School of Public Health Special Fund, Hawaii Medical Doctor Loan Program Special Fund, and Hilo Medical Center Rural Interdisciplinary Residency Program Special Fund in unspecified percentages; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

 

 

 

____________________________

SCOTT NISHIMOTO, Chair