STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3366

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 2445
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B.
No. 2445, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH
     FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to permit the Hawaii Public
Employees Health Fund to return the employees' share of insurance
carrier refunds to beneficiaries based on their years of benefit
plan participation.

     In addition, this bill, until June 30, 2021, enables
qualified surviving spouses of deceased employee-beneficiaries of
the Public Employees Health Fund who were vested contributory
members of the Employees' Retirement System to obtain health
benefits.  This bill also appropriates $20,300,000 out of the
health fund trust fund to implement this bill.

     Your Committee agrees with the intent of this bill, and
finds that it will achieve greater equity in the administration
of the health fund in its provision of medical and other coverage
for active and retired state and county employees.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3366
                                   Page 2


Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2445, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
a                                                     HB2445 SD1