STAND. COM. REP. NO.  372

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1049

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1049 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to update the Insurance Code, Chapter 431, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs testified in strong support of this bill.  The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America testified in opposition to this bill.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association and the American Council of Life Insurers submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Increasing the time, from 30 calendar days to 75 calendar days, in which the Commissioner can grant or deny approval of a request after automatic approval occurs; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 1049, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1049, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair