STAND. COM. REP. NO 455

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 550

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 550 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the possession or consumption of tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices, by persons under eighteen in public places.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii Community Pharmacy Association, and two individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Youth Services Network, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i, American Heart Association, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i, VOLCANO Fine Electronic Cigarettes, and four individuals.

     Your Committees find that smoking and tobacco use remain the leading cause of preventable illness and death in Hawaii.  Each year, smoking and tobacco use cause over 1,200 deaths and result in over $526,000,000 in economic losses in the State.  Nationally, the tobacco industry spends over $8,500,000,000 annually on advertising and promotions — $27,000,000 of which is spent in Hawaii.  The tobacco industry continues to market their products with images and messages that strongly resonate among children and is aggressively increasing electronic smoking device advertising to youth.

     Your Committees further find that this measure prohibits the possession or consumption of tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices, by minors in public places.  Prohibiting minors' access to tobacco products will prevent early addictions to tobacco products and the health consequences of tobacco use.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 550, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 550, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

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

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair