Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1468, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect the public from exposure to the hazards of secondhand smoke by expanding the ban on smoking to include all areas in private and public health care facilities; and in the area described as "from the curb to the cabin" at all state airports.

The Department of Health, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, American Heart Association, Tobacco Free Oahu, American Cancer Society, Hawaii Island Tobacco-Free Partnership, and seven concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of Transportation offered comments.

Your Committee finds that exposure to secondhand smoke is a significant and proven health risk that has prompted the positive movement by hospitals and airports outside of Hawaii to increasingly mandate their property as smoke-free environments.

Your Committee recognizes that there is a concern raised on the effect that a smoking ban in airports could have on international visitors to Hawaii as well as patients in hospitals who may resent denial of, or become belligerent when denied the privilege of smoking, and that the Judiciary Committee may want to entertain the use of independently vented, negative-flow rooms to accommodate international travelers at the airport.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(D) Repeal provisions that allow smoking in small

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 S.B. No. 1468, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1468, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.