STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1541

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   S.B. No. 239

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOBACCO SETTLEMENT SPECIAL FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to address the use of tobacco settlement fund moneys by:

 

     (1)  Extending the John A. Burns School of Medicine's (JABSOM) authorization to use a certain portion of its share of Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Fund moneys for operating expenses until 2015 while reducing this portion by an unspecified percentage each fiscal year until the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015;

 

     (2)  Establishing the University of Hawaii School of Public Health Special Fund to finance the establishment of a School of Public Health;

 

     (3)  Establishing the Hawaii Medical Doctor Loan Program and a special fund to support the program;

 

     (4)  Establishing the Hilo Medical Center Rural Interdisciplinary Residency Program and a special fund to implement and sustain the program; and

 

     (5)  Directing the reduced portion of JABSOM's share of Hawaii Tobacco Settlement Fund moneys allowed for operating expenses into the University of Hawaii School of Public Health Special Fund, Hawaii Medical Doctor Loan Program Special Fund, and Hilo Medical Center Rural Interdisciplinary Residency Program Special Fund in unspecified percentages.

 

     The Hawaii Medical Association and Hawaii Island Healthcare Alliance supported this bill.  The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance, JABSOM, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, The Queen's Health Systems, American Heart Association, and American Cancer Society provided comments.

 

     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 S.B. No. 239, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair