STAND. COM. REP. NO. 954

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 756

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 756, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the sale of, offer for sale, or possession with the intent to sell or offer to sell, all flavored nicotine products and nicotine product flavor enhancers, including products with menthol, and prohibit the mislabeling of e-liquid products as nicotine-free.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Kailua High School; Kihei Charter School; one member of the Hawaiʻi County Council; Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network; Hawaiʻi Public Health Association; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Parents And Children Together; Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Association of Independent Schools; Hina Mauka; Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition; Hawaiʻi-American Nurses Association; Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; Hawaii COPD Coalition; Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund; AlohaCare; The Friends of Kamalani & Lydgate Park; University of Hawaii Student Health Advisory Council; Hawaii Dental Association; Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaiʻi; Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaiʻi Youth Council; Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center; Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Kainehe Liquor; BMA Mart; ABC Stores; Cigarettes and Things; Bionic Petroleum; China Town Liquor; Cigar Association of America, Inc.; Marukin Market; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Discount Smoke Shop Hawaii; KCL Aloha Pacific Inc.; No. 1 Store; S&K Wholesale; Nonstop Convenience; Young's Wine & Spirit; Wawa Village Market; Kona Liquor Store; Hawaii Smokers Alliance; Bevmart; Ewa Pantry; Kakaako Smokes; and six individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Tax Foundation; and Taxpayers Protection Alliance.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 756, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair