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:  Thursday, April 6, 2000

        TIME:  9:30 a.m.

        PLACE: Conference Room 211
                 State Capitol
                 415 South Beretania Street



                        A G E N D A

                NO ORAL TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN.
         ONLY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES OR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
                  MAY BE SUBMITTED IN WRITTING.


MEASURES PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY CPN, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 564 RELATING TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM  CPN, WAM
HD2, SD1
        Allows qualified members of the Employees' Retirement System
        (ERS) to purchase their military service credit.  Allows a
        surviving spouse of a member of the ERS to remarry and still
        receive retirement benefits arising from their former
        spouse's employment.  

H.B. 2222  RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS                     CPN/GOH, WAM
HD1, SD1 
        Appropriates funds for a comprehensive review of the
        condominium property regimes law and related laws and issues,
        and the development of proposed legislation recodifying the
        condominium law.  

 
 
 
 
 


 
H.B. 2445  RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND  CPN, WAM
SD1
        Allows the Public Employees Health Fund (PEHF) to return the
        employees' share of insurance carrier refunds to
        beneficiaries based on their years of benefit plan
        participation.  Enables certain spouses of deceased members
        of PEHF who were vested contributory members of ERS to obtain
        health benefits.  

H.B. 2446  RELATING TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM  CPN, WAM
SD1
        Establishes a two-year time limit for claimants to file for
        service-connected accidental death benefits and allows the
        Employees' Retirement System to exclude interest on
        deficiency payments made by contributory plan members. 
 
H.B. 2472  RELATING TO INSURANCE                        CPN, WAM
HD1, SD1
        Defines a stock insurer.  Specifies that an appointment on
        deposit is not required from an insurer for whom policies are
        being solicited or sold.  Mandates ten-day cancellation
        notices and thirty-day nonrenewal notices for insurance
        policies. 
 
H.B. 2487  RELATING TO FINANCING THE HAWAII HURRICANE   CPN, WAM
HD1     RELIEF FUND

        Makes amendments to make possible a post-hurricane issuance
        of revenue bonds to pay claims made under HHRF policies.


MEASURES PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY ECD, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 1889  RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS          ECD/TIA, WAM
HD2, SD1
        Provides a fee discount for state-required animal quarantine
        charges for active duty military personnel. 

H.B. 1949  RELATING TO ALIEN AQUATIC ORGANISMS          ECD/LRE, WAM
HD2, SD1
        Designates the DLNR as the lead state agency for preventing
        the introduction and carrying out the destruction of alien
        aquatic organisms through the regulation of ballast water
        discharges and hull fouling organisms.  

H.B. 2403  RELATING TO AQUACULTURE                      ECD, WAM
        
        Repeals provision which established the Hawaii Aquaculture
        Advisory Council.


 


 
H.B. 2570  RELATING TO THE BOATING SPECIAL FUND         ECD, WAM
HD1
        Clarifies that the five percent assessment from the boating
        special fund deposited to the general fund for central
        services expenses shall be limited to five per cent of
        revenues not of debt service. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
H.B. 2996  RELATING TO AGRICULTURE LOANS                ECD, WAM
HD2
        Provides agricultural loans to qualified part-time farmers.
        Reduces the state residency requirements for permanent
        resident aliens seeking financing under the State's
        agricultural loan program.  Enables the department of
        agriculture to provide credit to food manufacturers located
        in the State that utilize Hawaii-grown agricultural products.  

H.B. 2997  RELATING TO AQUACULTURE LOANS                ECD, WAM

        Increases the maximum amount of moneys that applicants may
        borrow for class A loans (aquaculture farm ownership and
        improvements loans), class B loans (aquaculture operating
        loans), and class C loans (aquaculture cooperative and
        corporation loans).  Extends the loan term for class C loans
        from three to seven years.

MEASURES PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY EDU, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 2521  RELATING TO SCHOOL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS       EDU, WAM
SD1
        Requires the DOH to be responsible for occupational and
        physical therapy for exceptional children; clarifies required
        immunization documentation; changes health certificate form
        to health record form; adds physical examination and
        standards for documentation of compliance with school health
        requirements.

H.B. 2491  RELATING TO SCHOOL LUNCH                     EDU, WAM
HD1 SD1
        Requires the price of school lunches to be one-third the
        total cost of preparing the lunch.


MEASURES PREVIOUSLY HEARD BY GOH, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 2311  RELATING TO THE PROCUREMENT CODE FOR DESIGN   GOH, WAM
HD1 SD1  PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

        Amends the law relating to the procurement of professional
        services to establish criteria used by screening committees
        for the selection of qualified persons and to require the
        electronic posting and publication of contracts that have
        been awarded, including the name of the recipient, the dollar
        amount of the contract, and the agency head making the
        selection.


 
 


 
MEASURES PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY HHS, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 536 RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES                   HHS, WAM
HD2
        Extends the life of the Good Beginnings Alliance to 2010.
        Expands the membership of the Interdepartmental Council by 2
        members.  Expands the representation of the GBA Board of
        Directors by 5 representatives. 

H.B. 540 RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES                   HHS, WAM
HD2, SD1
        Covers all children under the State's children's health
        insurance program up to three hundred per cent of the federal
        poverty level for Hawaii.  Provides health insurance to all
        permanent legal immigrant residents, permanent residents
        under color of law, and persons from countries of the Compact
        of Fall Association. 

H.B. 1846  MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE GOOD         HHS, WAM
HD1     BEGINNINGS ALLIANCE

        Appropriates funds for the Good Beginnings Alliance, provided
        that the funds be matched from the private sector. 

H.B. 2273  RELATING TO THE HAWAII CHILDREN'S TRUST FUND  HHS, WAM
HD2     
        Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund from
        the Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Special Fund.  

H.B. 2277  RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOBACCO SETTLEMENT    HHS, WAM
HD1     SPECIAL FUND

        Provides that the funds received by the Health Department
        from the Tobacco Settlement for health promotion and disease
        prevention programs shall not supplant or diminish the
        funding of existing tobacco prevention and control programs
        or any health related programs funded in whole or in part by
        the State.

H.B. 2392  RELATING TO HEALTH                           HHS/CPN, WAM
HD2, SD1 
        Clarifies deposit of assessment with the Insurance
        Commissioner for health insurers; requires health insurance
        policies to cover diabetes self-management training,
        education, equipment, and supplies; transfers Hawaii mental
        health task force from DOH to insurance division and revises
        composition of membership.  

H.B. 2510  RELATING TO FOSTER BOARD ALLOWANCE FOR       HHS, WAM
        STUDENTS

 
        Clarifies that foster board allowances will be paid to either
        the foster parents or to an accredited institution of higher
        learning if the child is a student there.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
H.B. 2511  RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE                   HHS/LRE, WAM
HD1
        Provides flexibility in utilizing current permanent civil
        service personnel and/or exempt personnel to carry out the
        duties and responsibilities of the Adult and Community Care
        Services Branch within the Social Services division of the
        Department. 

H.B. 2512  RELATING TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS    HHS, WAM

        Allows the Department of Human Services to administratively
        increase the assistance allowance.

H.B. 2513  RELATING TO UNCLAIMED CORPSES                HHS, WAM
HD1
        Requires cremation of unclaimed corpses; limits liability
        arising therefrom; defines unclaimed corpse; conforms other
        provisions of Hawaii Revised Statutes.  

H.B. 2514  RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE                HHS, WAM
SD1
        Clarifies classification of claims by the DHS in the probate
        code.  

H.B. 2524  RELATING TO PROPHYLACTICS                    HHS, WAM

        Allows the Department of Health to adopt rules and charge
        fees to regulate the sale of prophylactics through vending
        machines and require that they be stocked with adequately
        labeled and scientifically approved devices only.

H.B. 2534  RELATING TO CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS        HHS, WAM
HD2
        Reimburses critical access hospitals on a cost basis under
        the Medicaid program using matching federal funds. 

H.B. 3016  RELATING TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME  HHS, WAM
HD1, SD1 PERSONS

        Appropriates $2 in FY 2000-2001 for use by the DHS to raise
        the income eligibility of the medically needy program to 133%
        of the assistance allowance. 


MEASURES PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY LRE, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 2539  RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE       LRE, WAM
HD2     REVOLVING FUND


 
        Increases the environmental response tax on petroleum
        products from five cents to an unspecified amount per barrel.
        Expands the uses of the environmental response revolving fund
        to support a broad range of environmental protection and
        natural resource protection programs.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
H.B. 2556  RELATING TO SAFETY INSPECTION FREQUENCIES    LRE, WAM
HD1, SD1 FOR REGULATED EQUIPMENT

        Allows the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to
        determine the period between safety inspections for regulated
        equipment. 


MEASURES PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY JDC, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 2650  RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY                    JDC, WAM
HD 1, SD1
        Amends the 1999 Judiciary appropriations bill to provide
        operating and capital improvements moneys for the Judiciary
        in the fiscal year 2000-2001. 


MEASURES PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY WLH, DECISION MAKING ONLY

H.B. 179 RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS               WLH/ECD, WAM
HD2, SD1

        Creates a commission compromised of thirteen members to
        update and reevaluate the 1986 LESA report and other related
        issues. 

H.B. 3001  RELATING TO NONCOMMERCIAL PIERS              WLH, WAM
HD2, SD1
        Allows the board of land and natural resources to lease, by
        direct negotiation and without recourse to public auction,
        state submerged lands or lands beneath tidal waters for
        private residential noncommercial piers.  Deletes the
        requirement that leases for sunbathing and swimming piers on
        public lands be open to the public with signs indicating the
        public's right to use the pier.  Deletes the requirement that
        easements or leases for noncommercial piers be approved by
        the governor and the legislature.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
THE FOLLOWING MEASURES WILL BE RECONSIDERED:

H.B. 2901  RELATING TO THE NEW ECONOMY                  EDU/CPN/ECD,
HD2, SD1                                                WAM
        
        Allows qualified high technology businesses to sell their
        unused ganization net operating loss carryover to any other
        taxpayer.  Expands the income tax exclusion for royalties and
        other income from high technology businesses.  Allows
        partnership investors the flexibility of allocating the high
        technology business investment tax credit among partners
        without regard to their proportionate interests in their
        partnership investment vehicle.  Makes the high-technology
        business investment tax credit and the tax credit for
        increasing research activities refundable to the taxpayer or
        allowing the credits to be used against the taxpayer's income
        tax liability in subsequent years until exhausted.  Conforms
        the state tax credit for increasing research activities with
        the federal tax credit.  Allows the board of trustees of the
        employees' retirement system (ERS) to invest ten percent of
        ERS funds in qualified high technology businesses.
        Appropriates funds for education, workforce development, and
        University of Hawaii research and training.  Promotes Hawaii,
        through a coordinated statewide effort, as an Internet and
        server-friendly place to conduct electronic commerce,
        including entering into appropriate public-private sector
        business partnerships.  Creates the maka`ainana technology
        program for small individual investors. 

H.B.2829 RELATING TO THE ELECTIONS APPOINTMENT AND    JDC, WAM
HD2, SD1 REVIEW PANEL

        Appropriates an unspecified amount to the elections
        appointment and review panel and provides for the removal of
        the chief election officer upon a showing of good cause. 
 

Persons wishing to submit testimony should submit 20 copies to the
committee clerk, Room 213, State Capitol, 24 hours prior to the hearing.
Please punch three (3) holes on the left side of 13 copies. 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