STAND. COM. REP. NO.  551

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 672

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 672 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce the number of minors and youth who smoke, by:

(1)  Restricting the placement of and advertisements for cigarettes and tobacco products;

(2)  Defining "electronic cigarette" or "e-cigarette";

(3)  Including electronic devices under the definition of "tobacco" and "tobacco products"; and

(4)  Prohibiting the sale of electronic devices to a minor under the age of eighteen and the purchase of an electronic device by a minor under the age of eighteen.

The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii and an individual supported this measure.  The Department of Health supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General, The Libertarian Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Food Industry Association, ABC Stores, VOLCANO Fine Electronic Cigarettes, and numerous individuals opposed this measure.  Several individuals submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Deleting provisions limiting the display of advertisements for cigarettes and tobacco products;

(2)  Defining "electronic smoking device";

(3)  Prohibiting the sale of electronic smoking devices to minors under the age of eighteen; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 H.B. No. 672, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 672, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair