STAND. COM. REP. NO.336

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1225

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1225 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEMPORARY HEALTH INSURANCE FOR UNEMPLOYED PERSONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide temporary health care coverage for individuals who have become unemployed on or after September 11, 2001.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that in the wake of the events of September 11, 2001, the devastation to the tourism industry has spread to all sectors of our economy. As a result, a significant number of our residents have become victim to employment furloughs, layoffs, reduced work hours, and terminations. Your Committee also finds that although efforts are made to assist these individuals through unemployment benefits, many are unable to maintain health care insurance coverage due to their financial situations.

Your Committee believes that the current state of global events continue to threaten the economic recovery of the State. Therefore, your Committee determines that by assisting those in need through the maintenance of health insurance, the economic impact of having a large population of medically uninsured persons will be lessened.

However, your Committee believes that the eligibility requirements of the measure should be clarified, since, from a purely financial standpoint, all individuals could theoretically be eligible for private individual health coverage.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure for purposes of clarity by inserting the word "group" in SECTION 2, subparagraph (2), to require an individual to not be eligible for any group health insurance coverage from another source.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1225, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1225, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

BRIAN KANNO, Chair