STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1160

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 605

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 605, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the reduced ignition propensity cigarette program special fund as a mechanism for the State Fire Council to fund administrative staff positions and carry out the duties of the Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarette Program.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Kenneth G. Silva, Chair, State Fire Council and Fire Chief of the Honolulu Fire Department; Jeffrey A. Murray, Fire Chief, Department of Fire and Public Safety, County of Maui; and Robert F. Westerman, Fire Chief, Kauai Fire Department, County of Kauai.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from Kalbert K. Young, Director, Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that the Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarette Program is administered by the State Fire Council and is designed to reduce accidental fires in Hawaii.  However, there is a need for a limited number of full-time staff to administer the program.  Your Committee further finds that, since 2009, approximately $390,000 in fees have been collected from cigarette manufacturers to fund various oversight activities of the program.  The creation of a reduced ignition propensity cigarette program special fund for the fees collected would provide a dedicated source of funding for staff needed to administer the program.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Making technical non-substantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2011.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 605, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 605, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair