STAND. COM. REP. NO.  387

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1064

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1064 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNCLAIMED PROPERTY OF THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide a means for the Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) to void claims for reimbursements that are over ten years old and payable in amounts of less than $500.

The Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund Board of Trustees testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an unspecified maximum payable amount for voidable claims; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     Your Committee finds that the EUTF is precluded from submitting unclaimed property to the Department of Budget and Finance's Unclaimed Property Program because the maximum threshold amount for that Program is $100.  The vast majority of unclaimed reimbursements under the EUTF relate to quarterly reimbursements for Medicare Part B premiums, which are approximately $315 now and will rise imminently.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1064, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1064, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair