Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2429, H.D. 1, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure, as received by your Committees, is to ensure compliance with and enforcement of the cigarette tax stamp laws by making the tax stamp law permanent and expanding the enforcement authority of the Department of the Attorney General and the Department of Taxation.

Your Committees developed and heard a proposed S.D. 1, that included the following provisions:

Testimony was submitted on the proposed S.D. 1 by the Department of the Attorney General, the Department of Health, the Department of Taxation, the Hawai'i Nurses' Association, American Cancer Society, Hawai'i Restaurant Association, Coalition for Tobacco Free Hawai'i, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of medicine, two physicians, and a private citizen. The testimony supported the intent of the S.D. 1, but most testifiers preferred the H.D. 1 version of this measure.

Your Committees find that efforts to enforce the cigarette tax stamp laws will be greatly supported by making the law permanent and allowing the various enforcement agencies wider authority to inspect the operations and premises of entities involved in cigarette sales. Your Committees, after consideration of the testimony presented on the S.D. 1 agree to support the H.D. 1 version of this measure without additional amendments.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2429, H.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.