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 S.B. No. 3262, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve the protection of the public's health and welfare by prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment, ensuring a consistent level of basic protections statewide from exposure to secondhand smoke while allowing for county laws that have greater restrictive ability to take precedence.

The Department of Health; Department of Accounting and General Services; University of Hawaii; American Cancer Society; American Heart Association; Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii; American Lung Association of Hawaii; Castle Medical Center; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Kaiser Permanente; Hawaii Association of Health Plans; Hawaii Primary Care Association; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies; Coalition of Hawaii; Kalihi-Palama Health Center; Hawaii Island Tobacco-Free Partnership, East Hawaii; Tobacco Free Hawaii Coalition; Mililani Town Anti-Drug Committee; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District VIII, Hawaii Section; Laborers International Union of North America; Local 368, AFL-CIO; numerous students from Kapaa High School; and numerous concerned individuals supported this bill. A concerned individual opposed this measure.

Your Committee finds that with the substantial amount of data showing the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, it is essential that the people who visit and are required to be in public places and places of employment be assured a strong level of safety from this toxin. Your Committee notes concerns regarding the definition of "enclosed or partially enclosed area" as used in this bill and feels this definition should be looked into further to add a greater level of clarity.

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. 3262, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.