STAND. COM. REP. NO.  643-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2438

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2438, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIGARETTES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to reduce accidental fires relating to cigarette smoking by allowing only reduced ignition propensity cigarettes to be sold in the state.

     The State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Kauai Fire Department, County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety, Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii, and Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Department of the Attorney General supported the intent of this measure.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2438, H.D. 1, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary,

____________________________ TOMMY WATERS, Chair

____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair