STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1033

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 28

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 28, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEAD HUMAN BODIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the sale of dead human bodies, including human bodies or remains that have been plastinated through the use of polymers, and to raise the monetary penalty for the sale of a dead human body or the giving, offering, or promising of consideration for a dead human body from $1,000 to $5,000.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from several individuals.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the phrase "death recently occurred" in the proposed definition of "dead human body" may be too vague to allow clear understanding and proper enforcement of the prohibition.

     Your Committee further finds that this measure may conflict with the current provisions of section 327-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050 to encourage further discussion on the matter.

     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. 28, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 28, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair