STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1342

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1345

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1345, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND BUDGET,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operating budget of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund for the 2019-2021 fiscal year.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) provides health insurance to nearly two hundred thousand state and county employees, retirees, and their dependents and collects and pays approximately $1,000,000,000 in premiums annually. Your Committee also finds that the funds appropriated in this measure are in addition to the budget base amounts necessary to support the essential functions and operations of the EUTF.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1345, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair