STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1838

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 822
                                     S.D. 2
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No.
822, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the health and
welfare of women and the community by requiring that all health
insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance
organizations provide coverage for contraceptive services and
supplies, while authorizing an exemption for religious employers.

     The Department of Health, the Hawaii State Commission on the
Status of Women, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai'i,
Hawaii Women Lawyers, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, Family
Planning Centers of Hawaii, and two concerned individuals
testified in support of the bill.  Kaiser Permanente supported
the intent of the bill.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association,
the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB), Hawaii Family Forum, the
Hawaii Catholic Conference, and Brigham Young University-Hawaii
commented on the bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill to:

     (1)  Provide that the Insurance Commissioner rather than the
          LRB review the experience of employers in providing
          coverage for contraceptive services and supplies after
          the effective date of this Act; and

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1838
                                 Page 2

 
     (2)  Make technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes
          of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
822, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it
pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 822,
S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair