STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2672

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2262

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2262, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend until July 1, 2011 the sunset date for the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trusts pilot program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the HSTA Member Benefits Corporation, the Hawaii State Teachers Association-Retired Oahu District, the Hawaii State Teachers Association-Retired, and concerned citizens.  Testimony in opposition to the measure was received from the Department of Budget and Finance, the Department of Human Resources Development, and the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.  Comments were received from a concerned citizen.

     Your Committee finds that the pilot program will otherwise sunset on July 1, 2009.  However, your Committee believes that allowing the program to sunset as scheduled is premature, because the comprehensive impact study on the program to be conducted by the Auditor has not yet been completed or made available.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2262, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair