STAND. COM. REP. NO. 563

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 146

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 146 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE FIRE COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the State Fire Council to use monies in the reduced ignition propensity cigarette program special fund to support the duties and responsibilities of the State Fire Council;

(2) Specify the testing procedures of the reduced ignition propensity cigarette program; and

(3) Provide that manufacturers of cigarettes that fail reduced ignition propensity testing at a certain rate may be subject to civil fines.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Hawai‘i County Fire Department, and Maui Fire Department.

Your Committee finds that the State Fire Council is responsible for reviewing and adopting the state fire code, providing administrative oversight of the reduced ignition propensity cigarette program, providing assistance with the application and administration of federal grants for fire-related projects, and assisting and coordinating with the statewide delivery of fire training programs, among other tasks. The reduced ignition propensity cigarette program was established in 2009 to require that only reduced ignition propensity cigarettes are sold in the State. Fees from cigarette manufacturers are paid to the State Fire Council and deposited into the reduced ignition propensity cigarette program special fund, and monies from that fund are used to fund compliance inspections, cigarette purchases, shipping costs to certified laboratories, and testing fees. Your Committee further finds that this measure would provide a steady source of funding to the State Fire Council to hire additional staff and effectively administer the reduced ignition propensity cigarette program, while also establishing a testing process to be followed by the State Fire Council for the program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 146 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair