COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, CONSUMER PROTECTION, AND HOUSING

Senator Ron Menor, Chair

Senator Matt Matsunaga, Vice Chair

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Senator David Matsuura, Chair

Senator Jan Yagi Buen, Vice Chair

(HSCR569-02)

Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services (DHS) for the purpose of paying $1 for each prescription written for an individual whose income is at or below 300 per cent of the federal poverty level; provided that DHS obtains a waiver from the federal government to provide prescription drugs at Medicaid rates for qualified individuals.

HHS/CPH, WAM

(HSCR653-02)

Appropriates $1,000,000 to assist the needy with housing needs. (HB2072 HD2)

HHS/CPH, WAM

(HSCR494-02)

Extends the sunset date of chapter 431M to July 1, 2004. (HB2216 HD1)

HHS/CPH, WAM

(HSCR473-02)

Enacts the Hawaii long-term care financing Act; creates a blue ribbon panel to administer the long-term care program; creates a mandatory assessment system to collect premiums from employee paychecks; establishes an initial premium amount of $10 per month and an initial benefit payment of $70 per day for 365 days; creates the Hawaii Long-Term Care Benefits Fund to hold the premiums and to pay benefits. (HB2638 HD2)

HHS/CPH, WAM

(HSCR435-02)

Gives insurance commissioner power to regulate health insurance rates. (HB1761 HD1)

CPH/HHS, WAM

(HSCR433-02)

Establishes the Hawaii Rx Program to make prescription drugs more affordable to all residents of the State.

CPH/HHS, WAM

(HSCR171-02)

Requires an association of apartment owners to provide written notification of its intent to assess fees for information requested by an owner, prior to assessment, and allows an owner to withdraw an information request. Contested fees are to be submitted to mediation. (HB1713 HD1)

CPH

(HSCR172-02)

Extends from 120 to 180 days the deadline for obtaining the required percentage of apartment owner votes to approve condominium bylaw amendments, and specifies that the deadline applies to amendments proposed by both the board of directors and volunteer apartment owners' committees. (HB1715 HD1)

CPH

(HSCR267-02)

Requires an apartment owner and the board of directors to pay for their own mediation costs and to share joint costs equally, unless otherwise agreed by the parties at the end of the mediation. (HB1716 HD1)

CPH, JDC

(HSCR583-02)

Increases affordable housing opportunities for elderly households by allowing persons who are at least 55 years of age to reside in state-funded elderly public housing projects and privately owned projects that are assisted with state or federal resources by the HCDCH, provided that at least one person in the household is 62 years of age or older.

CPH, WAM

(HSCR658-02)

Waives the three-year buyback provision until 12/31/04. (HB2450 HD1)

CPH, WAM

(HSCR661-02)

Reduces regulatory requirements for limited-equity housing cooperatives. Revises the licensure requirements for out-of-state real estate licensees who have previously met equivalent prelicensing requirements by authorizing the Commission to enter into formal license reciprocity or recognition agreements. Streamlines regulatory requirements for condominium managing agents. (HB2466 HD1)

CPH, WAM

(HSCR567-02)

Requires a contested case hearing for any increase in "basic service rates," defined as the monthly charge for basic utility service. (HB1777 HD1)

CPH, WAM

(HSCR568-02)

Repeals existing article 9 of chapter 412, relating to financial services loan companies, and replaces it with a new article regulating financial services loan companies. (HB1778 HD1)

CPH, JDC

(HSCR441-02)

Reduces from 150 to 120 semester hours the number of hours needed to take the Uniform Certified Public Acountant Examination. (HB2854 HD1)

CPH

(HSCR694-02)

Prevents the filing of frivolous financing statements with the bureau of conveyances by assuring that the filing of the financing statements are authorized by the debtors. (HB2443 HD2)

CPH, JDC

(HSCR420-02)

Permits electronic seals to be used if the law requires a signature or record to be notarized, certified, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath or seal of the person authorized to perform those acts (HB2307 HD1)

CPH, JDC

(HSCR480-02)

Clarifies the securities laws to provide greater certainty in the capital formation process involving limited offerings. Provides a new securities exemption for foreign securities. Adds back a transactional exemption that allows the Commissioner to exempt any transaction under chapter 91. Conforms the requirements for the registration of investment advisors with other states.(HB2473 HD1)

CPH, JDC

(HSCR660-02)

Merges the Insurance Regulation Fund into the Compliance Resolution Fund. (HB2465 HD1)

CPH, WAM

(HSCR469-02)

Allows the director of commerce and consumer affairs to contract with private consultants to assist in the review of cemetery and pre-need funeral authority license applications, regulatory issues, and related documentation (HB2468 HD1).

CPH, WAM

Chair

Chair