HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2007

COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION & COMMERCE

Rep. Robert N. Herkes, Chair

Rep. Angus L.K. McKelvey, Vice Chair

Rep. Kirk Caldwell	Rep. Joseph M. Souki
Rep. Cindy Evans	Rep. Clift Tsuji
Rep. Josh Green, M.D.	Rep. Ryan I. Yamane
Rep. Ken Ito	Rep. Kyle T. Yamashita
Rep. Sylvia Luke	Rep. Barbara C. Marumoto
Rep. Hermina M. Morita	Rep. Cynthia Thielen
Rep. Alex M. Sonson

NOTICE OF HEARING

DATE:

Monday, February 12, 2007

TIME:

2:00 pm

PLACE:

Conference Room 325

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

A G E N D A

HB 1338	MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER ADVOCACY. Provides emergency appropriations ($500,000) for the DCCA Division of Consumer Advocacy to investigate the power outages that occurred on October 15, 2006 on the islands of Oahu, Maui and Hawaii.	CPC, FIN
HB 1334	RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL AND VOCATIONAL LICENSING FEES. Allows DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing Division with the flexibility to offer licensing discounts to licensing program areas in an expedited manner.	CPC, FIN
HB 938	RELATING TO ELECTRICIANS AND PLUMBERS. Creates separate governing boards for electricians and plumbers and separates regulation of electricians and plumbers into two Hawaii Revised Statutes chapters.	CPC, FIN
HB 1833	RELATING TO UNFAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES. Prohibits person or entity requiring a bid, payment, or performance bond from designating a particular surety from whom the bond is to be obtained.	CPC, JUD
HB 1517	RELATING TO ARCHITECTS. Provides limited liability for architects and engineers that provide services during a state of emergency. Absolves contractors for professional services under the state procurement code from contractual liability to indemnify the governmental body.	CPC, JUD
HB 1518	RELATING TO DESIGN PROFESSIONALS. Requires the filing of a certificate of merit with any complaint filed against a design professional for the failure to meet the standard of care; and requires the filing of a preliminary expert opinion affidavit.	CPC, JUD
HB 966	RELATING TO CONTRACTORS. Modifies the composition of the contractors license board. Requires at least 3 members of the contractors license board to be appointed from a list of nominees submitted from the speaker of the house of representatives and at least 3 from a list submitted by the president of the senate.	CPC, FIN
HB 1759	RELATING TO THE DEFINITION OF CONTRACTOR UNDER THE CONTRACTOR REPAIR ACT. Removes entities engaged in the business of selling a dwelling from the definition of "contractor" under the Contractor Repair Act.	CPC, JUD
HB 939	RELATING TO PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY. Allows out-of-state certified public accountants to practice accountancy in Hawaii.	CPC, FIN
HB 91	RELATING TO PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY. Removes private or governmental accounting experience as meeting the required professional experience for a license in public accountancy. Removes public accountant examination requirement that baccaulareate degree be in accounting.	CPC
HB 1047 HD1 (HSCR94)	RELATING TO MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS. Includes marriage and family therapy among the mental illness, alcohol and drug dependence benefits required within the hospital and medical coverage offered under accident and sickness insurance policies and similar insurance products.	HLT, CPC, FIN

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

DECISION MAKING ONLY ON THE FOLLOWING MEASURES

(No testimony will be accepted.)

HB 1006 Proposed HD1	RELATING TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. Establishes the Office of the Director of Disaster Preparedness and a Disaster Preparedness Commission to develop a disaster preparedness plan for Hawaii that includes the identification of hazards and hazard impact zones; disaster mitigation policies, requirements, and incentives; and best responses. (Deferred from 02/07/07 hearing agenda.)	CPC/PSM, FIN
HB 88 Proposed HD1	RELATING TO INSURANCE FRAUD. Provides funds for the insurance fraud investigations unit to increase staff to prosecute insurance fraud more effectively. (Deferred from 02/07/07 agenda.)	CPC, FIN
HB 90	RELATING TO INSURANCE. Enacts the National Conference of Insurance Legislators market conduct surveillance model law, which requires the insurance commissioner to conduct market conduct examinations of domestic and foreign insurers. (Deferred from 02/07/07 decision making only agenda.)	CPC, FIN
HB 1313	RELATING TO THE CODE OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. Eliminates obsolete requirements and improves procedures for the licensing and regulation of financial institutions. (Deferred from 01/31/07 agenda.)	CPC, JUD

PERSONS WISHING TO TESTIFY ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT 50 COPIES OF THEIR TESTIMONY AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING TO: (1) THE COMMITTEE'S VICE CHAIR IN ROOM 315, STATE CAPITOL, OR (2) THE HOUSE SGT.-AT-ARMS TESTIMONY DROP OFF BOX IN THE TURNAROUND AREA OF THE CAPITOL BASEMENT PARKING LOT. TESTIMONY MAY ALSO BE FAXED IF LESS THAN 5 PAGES IN LENGTH TO THE HOUSE SGT.-AT-ARMS OFFICE AT: 586-6501 (OAHU) OR 1-800-535-3859 (NEIGHBOR ISLANDS). WHEN FAXING, PLEASE INDICATE TO WHOM THE TESTIMONY IS BEING SUBMITTED, THE DATE AND TIME OF THE HEARING, AND THE REQUIRED NO. OF COPIES THAT IS NEEDED FOR SUBMITTAL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586‑6172.

IF YOU REQUIRE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE OR AUXILIARY AIDS AND/OR SERVICES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS OF THE STATE HOUSE (I.E., SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY, OR PARKING DESIGNATED FOR THE DISABLED), PLEASE CONTACT THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING SO ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE. PROMPT REQUESTS SUBMITTED HELP TO ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS AND APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS.

SELECTED HEARINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE. CHECK THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE BROADCAST SCHEDULE ON THE "CAPITOL TV" WEB SITE AT WWW.CAPITOLTV.ORG OR CALL 550-8074 FOR A LISTING.

________________________________________

Rep. Robert N. Herkes

Chair