STAND. COM. REP. NO.  543-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 1944

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1944 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH CLUBS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to help support members of the United States military by, among other things:

     (1)  Prohibiting health clubs that grant a service member's request for contract suspension due to service outside of the state from charging any fees to reinstate the contract; and

     (2)  Requiring health clubs that grant a service member's request for contract suspension due to service outside of the state to maintain the original payment obligations set forth in the original contract.

     The Oahu Veterans Council, Military Officers Association of America-Hawaii Chapter, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee notes that while the federal Service Members Civic Relief Act (Act) allows for the temporary suspension of contracts that may materially affect service members who agreed to those contracts before being notified of a deployment, the Act does not specifically address health club membership contracts. 

     Your Committee finds that explicitly providing protections for deploying military personnel with respect to health club membership contracts that they will not be able to use while serving outside of the state will provide valuable support to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1944 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair