Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred H.R. No. 30 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to establish a task force to:

The Department of Health, Hawaii Funeral Directors Association, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this resolution. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that grieving families who have recently lost a loved one may be easy targets for overzealous or unscrupulous providers of death services. Recent events in Hawaii and on the mainland highlight the need for an in-depth examination of the State's current regulatory scheme.

Your Committee further finds that the term "provider of death services" may have a negative connotation and that the term "death care providers" is preferred by industry representatives.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 30, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 30, H.D. 1.