STAND. COM. REP. NO.  257

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 46

      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 Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 46 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to prohibit smoking in and around certain specified areas in public housing projects and state low-income housing projects; provided that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) is required to designate areas where smoking is permitted, with certain distance requirements.

     A concerned individual testified in strong support of this measure.  The Department of Health and Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i supported the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Public Housing Authority and Hawaii Smokers Alliance opposed this bill.  The American Cancer Society provided comments.

     Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Prohibiting smoking in public housing projects and state-low income housing projects only in enclosed or partially enclosed common areas of these projects; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 46, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 46, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair