STAND. COM. REP. NO.  985

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   S.B. No. 239

      S.D. 2

      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 Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to extend the distribution of monies from the Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Special Fund to specified entities until June 30, 2015, by establishing that the funds designated to the University of Hawaii (UH) for the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) shall continue at a decreased amount over the next four years, while the amount allotted to the general fund will increase over that time.  In addition, this measure requires JABSOM to report annually its revenues and expenditures to the Legislature.  

     UH System, American Cancer Society, Hawaii Pacific Health, HMSA, Hawaii Medical Association, and Kalihi-Palama Health Center testified in support of this measure.  The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii opposed this bill.  The Department of Health, UH-Cancer Center, American Heart Association, and The Queen's Medical Center commented on this measure.  

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Establishing a UH School of Public Health Special Fund for the establishment of a UH School of Public Health to more effectively address tobacco abuse prevention;

     (2)  Reducing the amount of funds from the Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Special Fund allocated to JABSOM by an unspecified percentage per fiscal year and allocating such amount to the UH School of Public Health Special Fund; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair