THE SENATE
                 THE TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE
                  REGULAR SESSION OF 2000


                COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS
             Senator Carol Fukunaga, Co-Chair
              Senator Andrew Levin, Co-Chair


                 NOTICE OF DECISION MAKING

        DATE:  Wednesday, March 1 , 2000

        TIME:  6:00 p.m.

        PLACE: Conference Room 211
                 State Capitol
                 415 South Beretania Street



                        A G E N D A

The Committee will reconsider its previous action on the following measure:

S.B. 791 Relating to the Public Utilities Commission     CPN, WAM
SD1

        Establishes a public utilities commission intervenors fund to be
        administered by the commission to assist intervenors in
        investigations conducted by or proceedings held before the
        commission. 

Measures previously considered by CPN, Decision Making Only

S.B. 2289  Relating to Prepaid Telephone Calling Service   CPN, WAM
SD1
        Provides that the sale of prepaid telephone calling services are
        subject to taxation under the general excise tax law.  Applies
        to gross proceeds from sale of prepaid telephone calling
        services received after August 31, 2000.  

S.B. 2369  Relating to the Employee's Retirement System    CPN, WAM

        Upon application to the ERS board, allows a class A member to
        withdraw for one time only, the member's contributions (or a
        portion thereof) for financial hardship.  Defines financial
        hardship.  Requires board to set implementing rules.

 
 


 
S.B. 2419  Relating to Capital Access Program              CPN, WAM
SD1
        Establishes a capital access program in the department of
        commerce and consumer affairs.  

S.B. 2459  Relating to Professional Counselors             CPN, WAM
SD1
        Establishes licensure for professional counselors within the
        Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

S.B. 2808  Relating to the Consumer Advocate               CPN, WAM

        Provides that the director of the Department of Commerce and
        Consumer Affairs may appoint or retain, without regard to civil
        service law and compensation, law attorneys to provide legal
        services for the division of consumer advocacy. 

S.B. 2809  Relating to the Public Utilities Commission     CPN, WAM
SD1
        Clarifies the responsibilities of the division of consumer
        advocacy and the Public Utilities Commission with respect to
        receiving and handling consumer complaints regarding public
        utilities.

S.B. 3176  Relating to Insurance                           CPN/JDC, WAM
SD1
        Extends medical and other insurance benefits to reciprocal
        beneficiaries.  Requires the Public Employees Health Fund to
        establish a reciprocal beneficiary family coverage health
        benefits plan.  

S.B. 3179  Relating to Tobacco                             CPN/JDC, WAM
  
        Prohibits the importation, distribution, and sale of cigarettes
        intended for export or use outside the United States.

Measures previously considered by ECD, Decision Making Only.


S.B. 2003  Making an Appropriation to Match Federal Funds   ECD, WAM
        for the Establishment of Manufacturing Extension
        Programs

        Appropriation to match federal funds for manufacturing extension
        programs.  

S.B. 2411  Relating to Special Purpose Revenue Bonds for    ECD, WAM
        Processing Enterprises


 
        Authorizes the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to
        assist the coffee industry in planning and building a processing
        plant for freeze dried coffee.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
S.B. 2909  Relating to State Parks                         ECD, WAM

        Establishes the state parks special fund; requires all proceeds
        collected by the state parks programs shall be deposited into
        this fund. Provides that proceeds derived for the operation of
        Iolani palace shall be used to supplement its educational and
        interpretive programs. 

S.B. 2910  Relating to the Commercial Fisheries Special Fund  ECD, WAM

        Establishes the commercial fisheries special fund.  Provides
        that the commercial fisheries special fund shall be administered
        by DLNR and shall be used for programs and activities for
        projects concerning conservation and management of aquatic life
        used for commercial purposes. 

S.B. 2911  Relating to the Boating Special Fund            ECD, WAM

        Establishes provisions relating to transfer from the boating
        special fund.  Allows the director of finance to deduct five per
        cent of all receipts and deposits in the boating special fund
        after subtracting therefrom any amounts pledged, charged, or
        encumbered for the payment of bonds or interest thereon during
        the time period for which the deduction is to be for the purpose
        of defraying the prorated estimate of central service expenses
        of government in relating to the boating special fund. 


Measures previously considered by EDU, Decision Making Only


S.B. 278 Relating to Higher Education                    EDU, WAM
SD2 
        Increases the number of members of the board of directors of the
        research corporation of the University of Hawaii from ten to
        eleven and alters the composition of the board. 

S.B. 2475  Relating to Gender Equity in Sports             EDU, WAM
SD1
        Prohibits discrimination in athletics on the basis of sex in any
        public school and requires the superintendent of education to
        develop a strategic plan to ensure equity in sports
        participation.  

S.B. 2964  Relating to the University of Hawaii            EDU/LRE, WAM

        Amends the University of Hawaii classification schedule
        provision to repeal conformance to schedules set in public
        employee compensation laws and provides that the system

 
 
 
 
        appropriately recognize the scope and subject matter of work,
        scope, and degree of responsibility, and qualification
        requirements. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
S.B. 3141  Relating to the University of Hawaii            EDU/LRE, WAM

        Provides complete autonomy to the University of Hawaii, by
        making it status comparable to that of the Judiciary.  Makes all
        employees subject to the University's personnel system, and
        removes all university employees from civil service.  Eliminates
        director of finance and governor from the university budgetary
        process. 

Measures previously considered by GOH, Decision Making Only


S.B. 2521  Relating to Professional Service Contracts      GOH, WAM
SD1
        Requires disclosure of names of top qualifiers for professional
        service contracts, and annual disclosure of all nonbid contracts
        awarded.  

S.B. 2578  Relating to Residential Lease-to-Fee Conversion  GOH, WAM
SD1
        Establishes a fair market value standard (FMVS) for appraising
        the leased fee interest of condo and co-op housing corporations
        for leases that do not specify an appraisal standard and for
        leases on or after effective date of this Act; allows FMVS if
        lessor and lessee agree for leases prior to date of this Act. 
 

Measures previously considered by HHS, Decision Making Only


S.B. 2247  Relating to Feral Animals                       HHS, WAM
SD1
        Establishes a temporary managed cat colony task force to address
        health concerns related to the feral cat population.  

S.B. 2320  Relating to a Long-Term Care Commission         HHS, WAM
SD1
        Establishes the commission for long-term care, disability, and
        elderly services within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor;
        makes appropriation for start-up funds.  

S.B. 2494  Relating to Empowerment of the Blind            HHS, WAM
SD1
        Allows the State Committee of Blind Vendors to hire private
        counsel; allocates moneys in the Randolph-Sheppard revolving
        account into a federal source subaccount and a non-federal
        source account; allows expenditure from non-federal source
        account for purposes of the revolving account; makes an
        appropriation. 

 
 
 
 


 
S.B. 2873  Relating to Hawaii Health Systems Corporation   HHS, WAM
SD1 
        Authorizes the issuance of hospital revenue bonds ($38,000,000);
        includes a diagnostic and progressive care center adjacent to
        Maui Memorial Medical Center.  


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Measures previously considered by JDC, Decision Making Only


S.B. 2115  Relating to False Claims                        JDC, WAM
SD1
        Establishes false claims against the government act.  Provides
        that a person who knowingly presents or causes to be presented
        to an officer or employee of the State or any political
        subdivision, a false claim for payment or approval shall be
        liable to the State or the political subdivsion for 3 times the
        amount of damages which the State or subdivsion sustains due to
        the act committed by that person and the cost of a civil action
        brought to recover any of those penalties or damages. 

S.B. 2144  Relating to Election                            JDC, WAM
SD1
        Lowers candidate funding available from public funds for office
        of governor, lt. gov, or mayor from 20% to 10%, and for state
        senator, state representative, county council and prosecuting
        attorney from 30% to 15% of total limit established.  Adds
        candidate's web page and e-mail address to the name and address
        on organizational report of a candidate's committee.  Removes
        ballot issue from requirement of organizational report.
        Increases from 5 to 10 days after filing for office, deadline
        for filing an organizational report.  Requires candidates who
        withdraw or cease to be candidates to return private
        contributions to the donors within 4 years, and in the event of
        death, requires residual contributions to escheat to the Hawaii
        election campaign fund. 

S.B. 2353  Relating to the Office of Information Practices  JDC, WAM
SD1
        Makes the office of information practices permanent.  Places it
        within the office of the ombudsman. 

S.B. 2522  Relating to Office of Information Practices     JDC, WAM
SD1
        Amends executive session provisions of public open meetings law
        and makes an appropriation for the office of information
        practices.

S.B. 2536  Relating to the Uniform Principal and Income Act JDC, WAM
SD1
        Repeals the revised uniform principal and income act (chapter
        principal need not be held as 557, HRS) and establishes a new
        uniform principal and income act. 

S.B. 2685  Relating to Trusts and Estates                  JDC, WAM


 
 
 
 
        Authorizes trustees to split a trust into separate trusts.
        Apportions the expenses of the fiduciary with the tax among the
        persons interested in the estate.  Raises threshold for
        classification as a small estate from $60,000 to $100,000.

S.B. 2759  Relating to Certificates of Identification      JDC, WAM
SD1
        Changes the expiration date of State ID cards to coincide with a
        person's birth date, and allows renewal by mail for persons 65
        years and older. 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Measure previously considered by LRE, Decision Making Only


S.B. 2605  Relating to Employment Security Law             LRE, WAM
SD1
        Provides and limits optional exemptions from the unemployment
        insurance law for business owners holding at least a 50%
        interest in their company.  


Measures previously considered by TIA, Decision Making Only

S.B. 2348  Relating to Municipal Services                  TIA/GOH, WAM

        Requires counties to provide same municipal services to
        condominium and cooperative housing corporation communities as
        those already provided to residents of residential property. 

S.B. 2686  Relating to Vehicles                            TIA, WAM
SD1
        Imposes a fine of not more than $500 for failing to pay a
        vehicle tax.

S.B. 3201  Relating to a Scenic Highways System            TIA, WAM
SD1
        Establishes a Scenic Byway System to identify and encourage
        appropriate management of scenic byways.


Measures previously considered  by WLH, Decision Making Only


S.B. 2584  Relating to the Hawaii Community Development    WLH/TIA, WAM
SD1     Authority

        Transfers the development responsibilities of the Barbers Point
        Naval Air Station Redevelopment Commission to the HCDA.
        Designates former Barbers Point Naval Air Station area as an
        enterprise zone. 

S.B. 2914  Relating to the Special Funds of the Land Division WLH, WAM
SD1
        Allows for the deposit of moneys collected from lessees of
        public lands within industrial parks into the special Land and
        Development Fund.  Abolishes the Industrial Special Fund and
        transfers the fund balance and liabilities to the Special Land
        and Development Fund. 

S.B. 2915  Relating to the Special Land and Development Fund  WLH, WAM

 
 
 
 


 
SD1
        Allows for the deposit of moneys generated by the disposition of
        mineral and water rights into the Special Land and Development
        Fund.

S.B. 2917  Relating to the Water Resource Management Fund   WLH, WAM
SD1
        Establishes a water resource management fund within DLNR.  

              PERSONS MAY SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY ONLY
                 NO ORAL TESTIMONY WILL BE ACCEPTED



Persons wishing to provide written testimony should submit 40 copies of
their testimony to the committee clerk, Room 210, State Capitol, 24 hours
prior to the hearing.  Testimony may also be faxed if less than 5 pages in
length, to the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Office at 586-6659 or 1-800-586-6659
(toll free for neighbor islands), at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.
When faxing, please indicate to whom the testimony is being submitted, the
date and time of the hearing, and the required number of copies needed for
submittal.

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids or services to
participate in the public hearing process (i.e., sign language interpreter,
wheelchair accessibility, or parking designated for the disabled), please
contact the committee clerk 24 hours prior to the hearing so arrangements
can be made.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586-6800.



____________________________      _______________________________
Senator Carol Fukunaga            Senator Andrew Levin
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair