STAND. COM. REP. NO. 722

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 239

       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 S.B. No. 239, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOBACCO SETTLEMENT SPECIAL FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to continue to partially fund the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine with appropriations from the Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Special Fund at a decreasing amount over the next four years.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Hawaii Medical Association; Donald B. Weisman, Hawaii Advocacy Director; American Heart/Stroke Association; and Lowell K.Y. Chun-Hoon.  Comments in opposition to this measure were received from Trisha Y. Nakamura, Esq., Policy and Advocacy Director, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Sharlene Tsuda, Vice President, Community Development, The Queen's Medical Center.

     Your Committee finds that reconsideration of all allocations and appropriations of moneys from the Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Special Fund is prudent.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing all percentage reductions and increases of allocations from the tobacco settlement moneys to unspecified percentage amounts;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the issue; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

     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 S.B. No. 239, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair