Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1446, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate a portion of the Hawaii tobacco settlement funds into the Hawaii strategic development revolving fund for developing and assisting enterprises that develop healthcare and biomedical technology to detect cancer, including cervical cancer, in its early stages.

Your Committee finds that there is a need to increase efforts in the area of early cancer detection and treatment through the work of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, the State's health and biotechnology industries, and other private initiatives located in Hawaii. Through early detection, cancers can be identified, treated, and eliminated before they significantly threaten the health of an individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure will increase funding to more fully utilize the resources of Hawaii's health and biomedical technology industries and encourage efforts to develop technologies that detect cancer in its early stages. Your Committee finds that it is in the interest of the public health and welfare, as well as in the interest of the State's economy, to support Hawaii-based companies as provided in this measure.

Your Committee further finds that this measure amends section 328L-2(b)(1), Hawaii Revised Statutes, by leaving blank the actual percentages appropriated out of the Hawaii tobacco settlement special fund and into the emergency and budget reserve fund. However, your Committee finds that a corresponding amendment must also be made to section 328L-3(a)(1), by reducing, by the same amount, the moneys to be deposited into the emergency and budget reserve fund.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

1. Amending section 328L-3(a)(1), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to reduce, by the same unspecified amount as provided in section 328L-2(b)(1), the moneys to be deposited into the emergency and budget reserve fund; and
2. Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

Your Committee has kept the allocation of tobacco moneys blank for the purpose of keeping the discussion open about using the funds for research, including research at the University of Hawaii.

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. 1446, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1446, S.D. 2.