Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2789 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify Act 6, Third Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, concerning when reimbursement of payments for temporary health insurance for persons who have lost employment on or after September 11, 2001 can be made.

This bill stipulates that reimbursements are to be made for the period beginning September 11, 2001 to June 30, 2002 or until such time as the money appropriated has been expended, whichever occurs sooner.

Your Committee finds that the clarifications to Act 6 that are contained in this measure will enable the State to effectively administer the temporary health insurance program and consequently ensure the continuation or provision of health insurance coverage to dislocated workers of the State.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has made one technical nonsubstantive amendment to remove a redundant phrase "section 5" on page 1, line 7 of the bill.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2789, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2789, S.D. 1.