STAND. COM. REP. NO. 942

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 792
                                        H.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred H.B. No. 792, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BAIL BONDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to exempt bail bond rates
from insurance rate filing requirements.

     The Insurance Commissioner and the Professional Bail Agents
Association presented testimony in support of the measure.

     Your Committee finds that presently, premium rates for bail
bonds are established and regulated in two different sections of
the law.  Chapter 431, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), governs the
rates for a surety insurance bond, while chapter 804, HRS,
governs the rates for all other types of bail bonds.  

     These differing rate requirements have created confusion
among bail bondspersons, attorneys, and the public.  This measure
alleviates that confusion by exempting bail bonds issued pursuant
to section 804-62, HRS, from the rate filing requirements of
section 431:14-104, HRS. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 792, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 942
                                   Page 2



                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Commerce and
                                   Consumer Protection,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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