STAND. COM. REP. NO.  665

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1825

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1825 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SMOKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the public health and safety by prohibiting smoking on public beaches and in public parks.  This bill also provides for a fine of up to $250 for anyone who disposes their cigarette, cigar, or tobacco product in a nonsmoking area anywhere other than a designated waste disposal container.

     The Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu, American Cancer Society, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, Hawaii Audubon Society, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  Americans for Freedom of Choice and several concerned individuals opposed this measure.

     Your Committee finds that countless studies have shown the negative health effects that inhalation of second-hand smoke causes.  Unfortunately, there are some who still cling to unsubstantiated reports that no harm comes from the use of tobacco products.  The use of such misinformation to sway the decisions of the Legislature should not be tolerated.  It only encourages more misrepresentation of the harm smoking causes and misguides those who are uninformed or impressionable such as our young people.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Removing provisions that prohibited smoking in public parks;

(2)  Increasing the fine to not more than $300 for disposing tobacco product waste in anything other than a designated waste disposal container;

(3)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 1825, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1825, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair