STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1388-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 651

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 651, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit smoking in and around Hawaii Public Housing Authority public housing projects, state low-income housing projects, and elder or elderly households.

The Department of Health, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii, and two concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of the measure.  Four concerned individuals submitted testimony in opposition to the measure.  The Hawaii Public Housing Authority submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Providing that after July 1, 2014, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority shall not enter into or renew any lease, rental agreement, permit, or license, including month-to-month tenancy, unless the lease, rental agreement, permit, or license prohibits smoking in the public housing project;

     (2)  Requiring that designated smoking areas be at least twenty-five feet from any building, instead of twenty feet;

     (3)  Authorizing termination of the lease, rental agreement, permit, or license and the eviction of a tenant for violation of the smoking prohibition;

     (4)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2050, to upon approval; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 651, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 651, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair