STAND. COM. REP. NO. 359

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1314

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1314, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND SPOUSAL MEDICARE PART B PREMIUM REIMBURSEMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to exclude spouses of Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund employee-beneficiaries who are hired after June 30, 2023, from receiving Medicare Part B reimbursement payments, unless the spouse qualifies as an employee-beneficiary.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.

 

     Your Committee finds that the change in benefits implemented by this measure will reduce the State's other post-employment benefits costs by an estimated $1,200,000,000 over the next thirty years, providing additional flexibility in the State's budget to accelerate pre-funding of other post-employment benefits, allocate funds for other priorities, and prepare for any future economic downturn.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1314, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1314, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair