HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                 THE TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE
                  REGULAR SESSION OF 1999

       COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION AND COMMERCE
                   Rep. Ron Menor, Chair
              Rep. Marilyn B. Lee, Vice Chair

  Rep. Romy M. Cachola          Rep. Jerry L. Chang
  Rep. Nestor R. Garcia         Rep. Robert N. Herkes
  Rep. Kenneth T. Hiraki        Rep. Sol Kaho'ohalahala
  Rep. Hermina M. Morita        Rep. Roy M. Takumi
  Rep. Terry Nui Yoshinaga      Rep. Chris Halford
  Rep. Jim Rath                 Rep. Cynthia H. Thielen
  Rep. Paul Whalen

          COMMITTEE ON LABOR & PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
              Rep. Terry Nui Yoshinaga, Chair
           Rep. Iris Ikeda Catalani, Vice Chair
  Rep. Kenny Goodenow           Rep. Eric G. Hamakawa
  Rep. Kenneth T. Hiraki        Rep. Bob Nakasone
  Rep. Tom Okamura              Rep. K. Mark Takai
  Rep. Mark Moses               Rep. Jim Rath

                  NOTICE OF JOINT HEARING

        DATE:    Wednesday, March 24, 1999

        TIME:    2:00 P.M.

        PLACE:   Conference Room 325, State Capitol

                        A G E N D A

SB 131   RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE         HSH/HLT, CPC/LAB, FIN
SD 3     Enacts Long-Term Care Insurance Model Act and model
HD 1     regulations; appropriates funds for a long-term care
      insurance actuary; appropriates funds for a long-term
      care volunteer ombudsman program; and appropriates funds
      for a long-term care managed care waiver.

SB 822   RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE                    CPC, FIN
SD 2     Requires all health insurers, mutual benefit societies,
      and health maintenance organizations to cease excluding
      contraceptive services and supplies from coverage by
      repealing the provision of such coverage as an employer
      option; exempts certain employers from providing
      coverage for contraceptive health care services that are
      contrary to the employer's religious tenets.

SB 830   RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT      CPC, FIN
SD 1     Requires health insurers; mutual benefit societies, and
      health maintenance organizations to reimburse providers
      and patients within a specified time period; this
      requirement becoming effective January 1, 2001.

 
SB 613   RELATING TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS               HLT, CPC, FIN
SD 2     Creates statewide licensure mechanism for retail tobacco
      sales that provides for licensing retail tobacco
      vendors, inspections and enforcement, adjudication of
      fines and penalties, training and education for retail
      merchants and public awareness of the State's statute
      governing the sale of tobacco to minors.

SB 844   RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE               HLT, CPC, FIN
SD 2     Requires health insurers to equitably reimburse for
HD 1     mental health, alcohol, and drug treatment.

SB 851   RELATING TO HEALTH CARE                    HLT, CPC, FIN
SD 2     Requires health insurers to cover hospice care and
HD 1     allows hospice homes in areas zoned residential.

SB 1127  RELATING TO INSURANCE                      HLT, CPC, FIN
SD 1     Establishes the health insurance revolving fund. 
HD 1     Authorizes assessments against mutual benefit societies
      and HMOs to be credited to health insurance revolving
      fund and motor vehicle insurance revolving fund.
      Appropriates moneys out of the health insurance
      revolving fund.

SB 1128  RELATING TO INSURANCE                      HLT, CPC, FIN
SD 2     Increases fines for insurance law violations.  Conforms
HD 1     health care coverage disclosure requirements for mutual
      benefit societies and HMOs to the requirements for
      insurers.  Clarifies that fraternal benefit society
      agents are licensed under the solicitor licensing
      provisions.

SB 1130  RELATING TO HEALTH MAINTENANCE
SD 1     ORGANIZATIONS                              HLT, CPC, FIN
HD 1     Requires health maintenance organizations to file
      quarterly reports with the insurance commissioner; and
      imposes penalties and other administrative sanctions on
      health maintenance organizations that fail to renew
      their certificates of authority in a timely manner.

SB 1136  RELATING TO REGULATION OF OSTEOPATHY       HLT, CPC, FIN
SD 2     Abolishes the Board of Osteopathic Examiners and
HD 1     transfers regulatory function to the Board of Medical
      Examiners.  Requires 4 members of the Board of Medical
      Examiners to be osteopathic physicians or surgeons.

SB 1452  RELATING TO HEALTH                         HLT, CPC, FIN
HD 1     Creates health insurance revolving fund; requires
      insurance commissioner to conduct public education
      program about managed care plans; clarifies duties of
      HMOs and health insurers for emergency medical
      conditions; allows insurance commissioner to conduct a
      review hearing of HMO patient complaints, etc.

 
SB 813   RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE
SD 2     REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST THE GAS UTILITY IN
      SERVING THE GENERAL PUBLIC                 EEP, CPC, FIN
      Authorizes the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds
      to assist the gas utility in providing utility gas
      services to the general public; authorizes the issuance
      of refunding special purpose revenue bonds; including
      times subsequent to December 31, 2002.

SB 194   RELATING TO INCOME TAXATION            HSH/HLT, CPC, FIN
SD 2     Establishes a State income tax credit equal to 50 per
      cent of premium costs paid, up to a maximum of $1,000
      per taxable year, during the taxable year for a
      qualified long-term care insurance contract as defined
      in section 7702B of the Internal Revenue Code.

                 DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW


THE FOLLOWING BILLS FOR DECISION MAKING:

SB 528   RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE                    CPC, FIN
SD 2     (heard on Wednesday, March 17, 1999)

SB 1129  RELATING TO INSURANCE                           CPC, FIN
SD 2     (heard on Wednesday, March 17, 1999)

PERSONS WISHING TO TESTIFY ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT 45 COPIES OF
THEIR TESTIMONY 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING TO:  (1)  THE
COMMITTEE'S OFFICE IN ROOM 320, STATE CAPITOL; OR (2)  THE HOUSE
SGT.-AT-ARMS PERSONNEL IN THE TURNAROUND AREA OF THE CAPITOL
BASEMENT PARKING LOT.  TESTIMONY MAY BE FAXED 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.

IT IS ALSO REQUESTED THAT THE COPIES BE ON ONE SIDE OF AN 8-1/2"
X 11" SHEET.  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE CONSUMER
PROTECTION AND COMMERCE OFFICE AT 586-6150.

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 CPC OFFICE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING SO
ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.



_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. Terry Nui Yoshinaga          Rep. Ron Menor
Chair                             Chair