THE SENATE
                 THE TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE
                  REGULAR SESSION OF 1999

       COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
               Senator Brian Kanno, Co-Chair
             Senator Brian Taniguchi, Co-Chair

                     NOTICE OF HEARING

        DATE:    Monday, February 8, 1999

        TIME:    9:00 a.m.

        PLACE:   Conference Room 016
                 State Capitol
                 415 South Beretania Street


                        A G E N D A



SB 366     RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND  CPN, WAM
        Enables the Employer-Union Trust Concept Committee to
        continue its work to proceed with conversion to an
        employers-union trust concept for administering public
        employee and retiree health benefits.

SB 948     RELATING TO HEALTH FUND MEDICARE PART B.      CPN, WAM
        Entitles the employee-beneficiary who is retired and
        the employee-beneficiary's spouse who participates in
        the supplemental Medicare plan of an employee
        organization, the same amount paid by the fund to
        those who have enrolled in the voluntary medical
        insurance coverage under the medicare plan.

SB 1102    RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND. CPN, WAM
        Removes the responsibility for funding the annual
        audit of the Hawaii public employees health fund from
        the State comptroller, and makes it the responsibility
        of the fund.

SB 1137    RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND. CPN, WAM
        Amends definition of "dependent-beneficiary"; amends
        definition of "employee-beneficiary"; conforms HRS.

SB 1287    RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND. CPN, WAM

 
 
 
        Permits the Health Fund to return the employees' share
        of insurance carrier refunds to beneficiaries based on
        their years of benefit plan participation.

SB 1288    RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND. CPN, WAM
        To enable the Board of Trustees to contract for more
        than one type of benefit plan for medical, drug,
        vision, and dental benefits.

SB 1290    RELATING TO HEALTH BENEFITS OF PART-TIME,     CPN, WAM
        AND SEASONAL OR CASUAL EMPLOYEE
        Authorizes the offering of medical benefits to part-
        time, temporary, and seasonal/casual employees at no
        cost to the employee.

SB 1294    RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND. CPN, WAM
        Requires State and county retired employees and their
        spouses to enroll in the federal Medicare part B
        insurance program.


        DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW, IF TIME PERMITS.


Persons wishing to testify should submit 30 copies of their
testimony to the committee clerk, Room 202, State Capitol, 24
hours prior to the hearing. Testimony may also be faxed if less
than 5 pages in length, to the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Office at
586-6659 or 1-800-586-6659 (toll free for neighbor islands), at
least 24 hours prior to the hearing.  When faxing, please
indicate to whom the testimony is being submitted, the date and
time of the hearing, and the required number of copies needed for
submittal.

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids or services
to participate in the public hearing process (i.e., sign language
interpreter, wheelchair accessibility, or parking designated for
the disabled), please contact the committee clerk 24 hours prior
to the hearing so arrangements can be made.

Public Folder.  A folder labeled "Public Folder" containing the
measures and testimonies for the hearing will be available for
shared use by members of the public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586-
6830.



____________________________      _______________________________

 
 
 
Senator Brian Kanno               Senator Brian Taniguchi
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair