STAND. COM. REP. NO.  52

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 586

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 586 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND E-CIGARETTES ON HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION PREMISES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote positive health practices that protect patients, employees, and visitors of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) health facilities from exposure to secondhand smoke and other potentially harmful substances by:

(1)  Prohibiting the use of any tobacco product or e-cigarette, also known as an "electronic smoking device," on the premises of all health facilities operated by HHSC; and

(2)  Requiring HHSC to provide tobacco cessation programs for public employees of its health facilities.

The Department of Health, HHSC, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii, and The Queen's Health Systems supported this measure.  Kaiser Permanente Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  Hawaii Smokers Alliance and several individuals opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Replacing references to "e-cigarettes" with "electronic smoking devices";

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

(3)  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. 586, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 586, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair