Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2260 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect the public from the toxic effects of second-hand smoke by prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment.

The Department of Accounting and General Services, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, American Heart Association, American Lung Association of Hawaii, Imi Hale Native Hawaiian Cancer Network, Tobacco Free Oahu, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, Local 368 AFL-CIO, Tobacco Free Kauai, American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific Inc., Kauai's American Cancer Society, Students of Hawaii Opposing Use of Tobacco, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, The Center, Windward Ahupuaa Alliance, and numerous concerned individuals supported this bill. The Honolulu Police Department opposed this measure.

Your Committee finds that tobacco smoke is a major contributor to many health problems and that breathing second-hand smoke increases the risk of disease in nonsmokers, including heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and lung cancer.

In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory to persons with heart disease to avoid indoor settings where smoking is allowed. Exposure to second-hand smoke has also been attributed to thousands of premature deaths and illnesses in Hawaii annually.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2260 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.