Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1891 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to reallocate the tobacco settlement moneys by:

The American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Hawaii Medical Association, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, American Lung Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Nurses Association, and the Representative of the 21^st District submitted testimony in support of this measure.

The Department of Budget and Finance opposed this measure. Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.

Your Committee's intent is to restore funding to the Trust Fund to provide resources for tobacco control education and programs. The percentages of tobacco settlement moneys were recently reallocated during the Third Special Session of 2001 to fund the University of Hawaii's Medical School (Medical School). Though your Committee supports the Medical School, your Committee does not want tobacco control to suffer because of the reallocation of funds.

Your Committee worked with various affected organizations in an attempt to come up with a more equitable proposal, but they were not able to complete the task to meet the demands of the legislative timetable. Your Committee will continue to work on a revised proposal for the next Committee to consider.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1891 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.