REPORT TITLE:
Wellness Industries


DESCRIPTION:
Creates office of wellness industries to coordinate, promote, and
market wellness, health, and retirement industry activities
within the State.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           376
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that private sector
 
 2 wellness industries, which include alternative healthcare
 
 3 initiatives and some aspects of the retirement industry, attracts
 
 4 visitors to the State.  Retirees from around the world are
 
 5 frequent visitors to Hawaii and those who participate in extended
 
 6 visit programs are especially strong contributors to economic
 
 7 revitalization.  The legislature also finds that Hawaii's
 
 8 healthcare industry is expanding into the areas of telemedicine
 
 9 and international referrals.  Hawaii's location, climate, and
 
10 multi-cultural environment positions the State to become the
 
11 Pacific's center for wellness industries.  Facilities in the
 
12 State offer to Pacific and Asian communities a wide array of
 
13 services from western medical treatment in state-of-the-art
 
14 facilities to innovative healthcare initiatives such as spa
 
15 activities, Hawaiian healing techniques and diet, and other non-
 
16 traditional wellness practices.
 
17      The legislature further finds that wellness industries are
 
18 attractive industries to pursue because they provide economic
 
19 opportunity for residents of the State while not generating
 

 
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 1 significant adverse environmental or cultural impacts.
 
 2      The purpose of this Act is to establish the office of
 
 3 wellness industries to coordinate the development of wellness
 
 4 industries in Hawaii.  The office will facilitate partnerships
 
 5 between world-class healthcare organizations and providers of
 
 6 wellness, healthcare, and retirement services in Hawaii, as well
 
 7 as promote and market Hawaii's wellness, healthcare, and
 
 8 retirement industries outside of the State.
 
 9      SECTION 2.  Chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
10 by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read
 
11 as follows:
 
12             "PART .  OFFICE OF WELLNESS INDUSTRIES
 
13      §201-     Definitions.  For the purposes of this part:
 
14      "Department" means the department of business, economic
 
15 development, and tourism.
 
16      "Director" means the director of the office of wellness
 
17 industries.
 
18      "Office" means the office of wellness industries.
 
19      "Wellness industries" includes businesses involved in the
 
20 delivery of preventative healthcare, including traditional
 
21 healing techniques, practices, and diets; the offering of
 
22 activities and advice that promote the maintenance of good
 
23 physical and mental health; and that part of the retirement
 

 
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 1 industry related to preventative healthcare and maintenance of
 
 2 good physical and mental health.
 
 3      §201-     Office of wellness industries; establishment.(a)
 
 4 There is established an office of wellness industries in the
 
 5 department of business, economic development, and tourism.
 
 6      (b)  The director of the office shall have experience,
 
 7 knowledge, and expertise in wellness activities, including
 
 8 traditional and nontraditional healthcare and retirement industry
 
 9 activities.  The director shall be nominated and appointed by the
 
10 governor without regard to chapters 76 and 77, and paid a salary
 
11 not to exceed $       .
 
12      (c)  The director shall hire staff necessary to carry out
 
13 the purposes of this part without regard to chapters 76 and 77.
 
14      (d)  The director and employees of the office shall be
 
15 included in any benefit program generally applicable to the
 
16 officers and employees of the State. 
 
17      §201-     Powers and duties of director.  In addition to any
 
18 other powers and duties provided in this part, the director
 
19 shall:
 
20      (1)  Coordinate and facilitate efforts of wellness
 
21           industries to expand services to Asian and Pacific
 
22           communities;
 
23      (2)  Review the effectiveness of present publications,
 

 
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 1           pamphlets, and other sources of information about
 
 2           Hawaii's wellness activities produced and distributed
 
 3           by all agencies of the State;
 
 4      (3)  Have the office serve as a clearinghouse for
 
 5           information on Hawaii's wellness activities, to include
 
 6           but not be limited to, those of private institutions
 
 7           and businesses and state and federal agencies;
 
 8      (4)  Target existing businesses that can provide products or
 
 9           services of importance to wellness industries and
 
10           coordinate efforts to support the expansion of those
 
11           businesses in Hawaii;
 
12      (5)  Adopt, amend, and repeal rules pursuant to chapter 91
 
13           necessary to carry out this part;
 
14      (6)  Contract for those services necessary for the purposes
 
15           of this part; and
 
16      (7)  Do all other things necessary or proper to carry out
 
17           the purposes of this part.
 
18      §201-     Integration and development of wellness
 
19 industries.  The office shall be responsible for planning for the
 
20 integrated and coordinated development and expansion of wellness
 
21 industries of the State.  The office shall investigate and
 
22 recommend to appropriate governmental officers, agencies,
 
23 legislative committees, and private groups ways and means of
 

 
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 1 coordinating promotional activities on behalf of these
 
 2 industries.  The office shall also review the expenditure of
 
 3 governmental funds for the promotion and marketing of the
 
 4 wellness industries and shall prepare an annual report on the
 
 5 expenditures, together with any recommendations the office may
 
 6 have.  The annual report shall be submitted to the legislature as
 
 7 part of the annual report required under section 201-   .
 
 8      §201-     Annual report.  At least twenty days prior to the
 
 9 convening of each regular session, the director shall submit a
 
10 report to the legislature on the programs and activities
 
11 conducted by the office in the immediate prior fiscal year."
 
12      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
13 
 
14                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________