STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2255

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2493

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2493 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO USE OF TOBACCO SETTLEMENT FUNDS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to allow the continued use of the tobacco fund settlement monies by John A. Burns School of Medicine.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of the measure from The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, The Queen's Health Systems, and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition of the measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.  Testimony in support of the intent of the measure with amendments was received from the John A. Burns School of Medicine.  Testimony commenting on the measure was received from the American Cancer Society and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that the John A. Burns School of Medicine is integral to alleviating the physician shortage in our State both through its students and its faculty.  Your Committees further find that at present, the John A. Burns School of Medicine is reliant on the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund to maintain their high standards, high quality, and innovation. 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the University of Hawaii to submit annual reports to the Legislature on the debts that the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund funds are being applied to;

     (2)  Removing the provision that makes the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund funding to the John A. Burns School of Medicine permanent and replacing it with an ending date of June 30, 2015; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes to ensure clarity and accuracy in the language of this measure.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2493, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2493, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Higher Education,

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair