STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1036

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 586

       H.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 586, H.D. 2, 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 and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Prohibit the use of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices on premises of the facilities operated by the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; and

     (2)  Require the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to provide at the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation's expense tobacco cessation programs to its public employees.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, East Hawaii Region of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawai‘i, American Heart Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and nine individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the United Public Workers, Local 646; Hawaii Smokers Alliance; and seventeen individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that facilities within the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation are committed to providing quality healthcare for the people of Hawaii and taking steps to reduce the occurrence of preventable disease.  Permitting the use of tobacco and other potentially dangerous substances on the premises of its health facilities is inconsistent with this commitment.  Allowing such use would not only expose patients, employees, and visitors to the perils of harmful substances, but would also be counterproductive to the Corporation's goal of reducing the occurrence of preventable disease.

     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, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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JOSH GREEN, Chair