THE SENATE
                 THE TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE
                  REGULAR SESSION OF 1999


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


                     NOTICE OF HEARING

        DATE:    Tuesday, February 23, 1999

        TIME:    9:00 a.m.

        PLACE:   Conference Room 016
                 State Capitol
                 415 South Beretania Street


                        A G E N D A


SB 783   RELATING TO DENTAL INSURANCE                    CPN
        Permits  a  patient  to  direct  an  insurer  plan  to
        directly reimburse a nonparticipating dental provider.


SB 134   RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE                     CPN
        Repeals requirement  that  physicians  be certified to
        treat alcohol and  drug  abuse  for purposes of mental
        health insurance benefits  for  treatment  of drug and
        alcohol abuse.


SB 1234  RELATING TO INSURERS                            CPN
        Requires  an  insurer  to   provide  an  insured  with
        independent counsel when a conflict of interest arises
        on a claim under an insurance policy.


SB 511   RELATING TO HEALTH CARE FACILITY PAYMENTS       CPN
        Requires  insurers,  mutual   benefit  societies,  and
        health maintenance  organizations  to  pay health care
        facilities directly regardless  of their participatory
        status.


SB 1280  RELATING TO MOTOR CARRIERS                      CPN
        Provides  the  public   utility  commission  with  the
        flexibility needed  to  address  demands  for services

 
                  where existing carriers are not  able to meet the need
                  due to unpredictable circumstances.
       
       
       
       
       
       The following bills are for  decision  making only.  No testimony
       will be accepted.
       
       
       SB 143   RELATING TO UTILITY TRANSMISSION LINES          CPN
                  Requires  that  new  46  kv  or  greater  high voltage
                  electric transmission systems in residential areas, or
                  near schools  or  licensed  child  care facilities, be
                  placed    underground     and     insulated    against
                  electromagnetic field emissions.
       
       
       SB 384   RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES                    CPN
                  Requires that 46 kv  or  greater transmission lines in
                  residential areas, areas viewed  by visitors, or areas
                  important to the film industry be buried underground.
       
       
       SB 1260  RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE             CPN
                  Deems  motor  vehicle  insurance  coverage  to recover
                  damages from owners or operators of underinsured motor
                  vehicles and personal  injury  protection benefits not
                  applicable where  the  injured  person  was engaged in
                  criminal conduct at the  time of the injury warranting
                  damages.
       
       
                  DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW, IF TIME PERMITS.
       
       
       
       Persons wishing to testify  should  submit  25 copies (three hole
       punched)of their  testimony  to  the  committee  clerk, Room 414,
       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.

       a
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 MORE INFORMATION,  PLEASE  CALL  THE  COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586-
6460.



____________________________      _______________________________
Senator Brian Taniguchi           Senator Brian Kanno
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair