STAND. COM. REP. NO. 324

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1290
                                        




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 S.B. No. 1290 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PART-
     TIME, TEMPORARY, AND SEASONAL OR CASUAL EMPLOYEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to offer medical benefits to
part-time, temporary, and seasonal or casual public employees at
no cost to the employer.

     Under the measure, the cost of the medical benefits provided
would be borne by the employee.

     Testimony in support of the measure was received from the
Departments of Budget and Finance and Education.  The Public
Employees' Health Fund provided comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that providing such benefits to part-
time employees would increase medical coverage for citizens of
the State at no cost to the public employer and concurrently
provide these employees with the opportunity to obtain coverage
at a lower premium rate.

     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 S.B. No. 1290 and recommends that it pass Second
Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 324
                                   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

 
a                                                     SB1290