COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

2:00 p.m.

Conference Room 309; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 2128

RELATING TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.

Establishes a high technology mentorship program as a pilot project for high school students to develop hands on high technology skills. Allows businesses that participate in training high school students to claim a credit against their employment and training fund assessment.

EDN, EDB/LAB, FIN

HB 2713

RELATING TO SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS FOR KAWAIAHAO SCHOOL.

Authorizes special purpose revenue bonds for Kawaiahao School.

EDN, FIN

HB 2346

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ELECTRICITY.

Emergency appropriation to meet the projected shortfall in the electricity appropriation.

EDN, FIN

HB 2347

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STUDENT TRANSPORTATION.

Emergency appropriation to meet projected shortfall for student transportation.

EDN, FIN

HB 2987

RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS FOR SAINT LOUIS SCHOOL.

Authorizes the issuance of up to $15,000,000 in special purpose revenue bonds for Saint Louis School to finance or refinance the planning, acquisition, construction, or improvement of its educational facilities.

EDN, FIN

Decision making to follow.

 

 

COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION & COMMERCE

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

2:10 p.m.

Conference Room 325; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 2313

RELATING TO BUSINESS REGISTRATION.

Clarifies and corrects ambiguities and errors in Hawaii's business registration laws.

CPC

HB 2315

RELATING TO THE CODE OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

Eliminates obsolete requirements and improves the procedures for the licensing and regulation of financial institutions by the Division of Financial Institutions.

CPC

HB 2319

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Updates and streamlines insurance statutes to conform with federal law and national standards.

CPC

HB 2968

RELATING TO INTEREST RATES.

Clarifies permissible credit card interest rates. Defines "interest" to include credit card fees and charges.

CPC, JUD

HB 2322

RELATING TO EXPEDITED INSURANCE RATE REDUCTIONS.

Allows any property and casualty rate filing that when filed constitutes a reduction of not more than 10 percent below the rate in effect and approved by the Insurance Commissioner to become effective without prior approval.

CPC

HB 2331

RELATING TO AN INACTIVE STATUS FOR PROFESSIONAL AND VOCATIONAL LICENSES.

Authorizes affected licensing authorities to allow licensees to go on inactive status when they are currently not engged in the practice of their profession or vocation, and allows licensees to reactivate their licenses at any time during the licensure period or at renewal.

CPC

HB 2435

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Establishes standards and procedures to be followed by insurers or insurance producers when making recommendations to senior consumers who are considering the purchase or exchange of any annuity.

CPC

HB 2969

RELATING TO ANNUITIES.

Establishes standards and procedures to be followed by insurers or insurance producers when making recommendations to senior consumers who are considering the purchase or exchange of any annuity.

CPC, JUD

HB 2768

RELATING TO DEFERRED DEPOSITS.

Requires check cashing businesses to post deferred deposit agreement fees in a conspicuous place, provides a blank percentage to modify the maximum fee that a check cashing business may charge for a deferred deposit agreement, and requires check cashing businesses to register with the department of commerce and consumer affairs

CPC

HB 2781

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE.

Specifies that the claimant may contest the insurer's denial of personal injury protection benefits.

CPC

HB 3229

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE.

Provides motor vehicle insurance premium discounts to those who complete an accident prevention course.

CPC

HB 2439

RELATING TO A ONE CALL CENTER.

Adds members to the one call center advisory committee.

CPC, FIN

HB 2604

RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.

Requires the renewal of property insurance at least once following the loss or damage of any covered property of the insured resulting from a catastrophe.

CPC, FIN

HB 2689

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Requires each county to adopt ordinance to participate in the Community Rating System of the National Flood Insurance Program.

CPC, FIN

HB 2717

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

Creates a selection commission to pick members of the Public Utilities Commission. Establishes terms of service.

CPC, FIN

HB 2738

RELATING TO CABLE TELEVISION.

Authorizes DCCA to provide additional funding to support public, educational, and governmental access programming in underserved areas of the State. Appropriates funds from the compliance resolution fund to the underserved areas of Molokai, Lanai, and Hana, Maui.

CPC, FIN

HB 2787

RELATING TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS.

Mandates the collection and analysis of data on radio frequency radiation from cellular base station antennas and antenna towers. Mandates the counties to establish a permit process with public hearing requirements for cell phone towers, antennas, and other structures exceeding 10 feet in height.

CPC, FIN

HB 2323

RELATING TO INSURANCE FRAUD.

Expands the authority of the insurance division's insurance fraud investigations unit to prevent, investigate, and prosecute both civilly and criminally insurance fraud relating to all lines of insurance.

CPC, JUD

Decision making to follow.

 

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS CONCERNS

Thursday, February 2, 2006

8:30 a.m.

Conference Room 312; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 2931

RELATING TO GENERATED ELECTRICITY.

Exempts the general excise tax from the credit earned by a homeowner who sells electrical power back to a utility company.

EDB/EEP, CPC, FIN

HB 2959

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Gives wastewater treatment plants access to the emergency procurement process to repair a major equipment breakdown that if not immediately repaired would result in wastewater spills and environmental permit noncompliance that is subject to a $25,000 fine per occurrence, per day.

EDB/EEP, FIN

HB 3050

RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

Establishes minimum energy efficiency standards for certain products sold in the State.

EEP/EDB, CPC, FIN

HB 2863

RELATING TO ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATURAL ENERGY LABORATORY OF HAWAII AUTHORITY INNOVATION CORPORATION.

Establishes the natural energy laboratory of Hawaii authority innovation corporation.

EEP/EDB, FIN

Decision making to follow.

 

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Thursday, February 2, 2006

9:00 a.m.

Conference Room 312; State Capitol

AGENDA:

Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) Chief Executive Officer, Ronald N. Baird, will brief committee members on the current status of NELHA operations.

 

 

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Thursday, February 2, 2006

9:30 a.m.

Conference Room 312; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 1934

RELATING TO THE NATURAL ENERGY LABORATORY OF HAWAII AUTHORITY.

Changes the title of the executive director of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii authority to chief executive officer.

EEP, FIN

HB 1971

RELATING TO THE NATURAL ENERGY LABORATORY OF HAWAII AUTHORITY.

Exempts the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code, chapter 103D, HRS.

EEP, EDB, FIN

HB 1941

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.

Requires electric utilities to apply a progressive block rate structure for residential consumers that charges a higher rate to consumers with a monthly consumption of over 500 kWh than to consumers with a monthly consumption of 500 kWh or less.

EEP, CPC, FIN

HB 1021, HD1

(Proposed)

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.

Increases PUC commissioners' salary. Authorizes PUC Chairperson to appoint utility analysts and legal assistants exempt from chapter 76. Requires the PUC to refund to the public utilities all moneys in excess of $3,000,000 remaining on balance in the PUC special fund on June 30 of each year. (HD1)

EEP, CPC

HB 3053

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Allows the public utilities commission to establish standards that prescribe what portion of the renewable energy standards are to be met by specific types of resources; provided that at least 50% of the renewable portfolio standards are met by electrical energy produced by wind, solar energy, hydropower, landfill gas, waste to energy, geothermal resources, ocean thermal conversion, wave energy, biomass, including municipal solid waste, biofuels, or fuels derived from renewable energy, or fuel cells where the fuel is derived from renewable sources.

EEP, CPC, FIN

HB 3044

RELATING TO GASOLINE.

Requires a phased reduction of methyl tertiary-butyl ether in gasoline sold or imported in the State with levels no greater that .15 volume per cent by January 1, 2009.

EEP, CPC, FIN

HB 3222

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Establishes the State Program on Renewable Hydrogen to manage the state's transition to a renewable hydrogen economy. Establishes the Hydrogen Technologies Special Fund to fund renewable hydrogen projects. Appropriates funds for the program and special fund.

EEP, CPC, FIN

Decision making to follow.

 

 

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

Thursday, February 2, 2006

8:30 a.m.

Conference Room 329; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 3017

RELATING TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS.

Prohibits use of tobacco products by minors. Requires minor to complete tobacco use cessation program for a first offense and to repeat the program and perform community service for any subsequent offenses. Requires issuance of a citation and provides for disposition in the same manner as a traffic infraction. Gives district court jurisdiction over the offense and the offender.

HLT, JUD

HB 2103

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Establishes the Hawaii Health Authority (HHA) to provide health care for all Hawaii citizens.

HLT, HED, FIN

HB 2670

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Creates Hawaii health authority to develop a comprehensive plan to provide universal health care in Hawaii. Appropriates $500,000. Report to 2008 regular session of the legislature.

HLT, CPC, FIN

HB 2162

RELATING TO RURAL HEALTH CARE.

Establishes the Rural Nursing Program within the University of Hawaii to provide financial assistance to students who commit to serving in rural areas of the state following completion of nursing degree programs.

HLT, HED, FIN

HB 2190

RELATING TO RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSES.

Establishes that certain registered professional nurses shall not have their service retirement allowances reduced for actuarial purposes upon retirement and shall not have their retirement benefits reduced for age after termination of service.

HLT, LAB, FIN

HB 3042

RELATING TO TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY CARE.

Establishes the emergency physicians services fund to ensure the availability of on-call physicians for trauma and emergency care in the State and establishes dedicated sources of revenue for the fund.

HLT, CPC, FIN

HB 3142

RELATING TO TRAUMA CARE.

Requires the distribution of a percentage of disproportionate share of hospital payments to The Queen's medical center on an annual basis to ensure the availability of physicians on-call for trauma care.

HLT, CPC, FIN

HB 1987

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Provides that all patients who have not executed an advance health-care directive or have no surrogate or guardian shall receive basic life support assistance and all other medical care required to prolong the patient's life; requires insurance providers to extend hospice care coverage to patients with not more than two years to live.

HLT, JUD, FIN

HB 3126

RELATING TO RAPID IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS.

Amends the rapid identification documents law by deleting the requirement that the document be in the form of a bracelet. Allows a lawfully appointed guardian, agent, or surrogate to act on a patient's behalf when directing medical staff to provide comfort care only.

HLT, CPC, FIN

HB 2753

RELATING TO MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

Requires inactive mutual benefit societies to dissolve and transfer their assets to the State.

HLT, CPC/JUD, FIN

HB 2811

RELATING TO MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

Provides the insurance commissioner with the necessary authority to oversee and regulate the administration of mutual benefit societies.

HLT, CPC/JUD, FIN

HB 2879

RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE.

Makes the health insurance rate regulation law permanent.

HLT, CPC, FIN

HB 2813

RELATING TO INSURANCE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN.

Requires health insurance policies and similar products that provide coverage for the children of an insured to also provide coverage for the disabled children of the insured.

HLT, CPC, FIN

HB 1898

RELATING TO VITAL STATISTICS.

Imposes a surcharge of $2 on the issuance of a certified copy of birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates for deposit into the DNA registry special fund.

HLT, JUD, FIN

HB 2401

RELATING TO ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

Repeal optional, exclusionary insurance provision for injuries sustained by insured persons as a result of intoxication from alcohol or narcotics. Appropriates funds to establish the Screening, Briefing, Intervention, Referral, and Treatment program.

HLT, CPC, FIN

HB 3087

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Amends the Procurement Code to allow more efficiency and flexibility for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to purchase health care goods and services.

HLT, EDB, FIN

HB 2415

RELATING TO NET INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR FOOD, MEDICAL SERVICES, AND NONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

Establishes a refundable tax credit for food, medical services, and nonprescription drugs.

HLT, EDB, FIN

HB 2819

RELATING TO DECABROMODIPHENYLETHER.

Prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of televisions, computers, furniture, mattresses, and mattress pads containing commercial decabromodiphenylether.

HLT, EEP, CPC

Decision making to follow.

 

 

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY & MILITARY AFFAIRS AND COMMITTEE ON LABOR & PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT

Thursday, February 2, 2006

8:30 a.m.

Conference Room 309; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 1999

RELATING TO A DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL DEFENSE.

Establishes a new department of civil defense to which all civil service, disaster relief, and emergency preparedness powers and functions currently assumed by the state department of defense shall be transferred.

PSM/LAB, FIN

HB 2339

RELATING TO CIVIL DEFENSE AGENCY.

Increase the vice-director's salary.

PSM/LAB, FIN

HB 2131

RELATING TO TAX CREDITS.

Provides a tax credit for a police officer to purchase bulletproof vests. The one-time tax credit per officer is equal to the difference in the cost of a department-issued vest versus the cost of a vest purchased by a police officer.

PSM/LAB, FIN

HB 2715

RELATING TO POLICE OFFICERS.

Creates an annual allowance to police officers for the maintenance of uniforms, equipment and weapons. Appropriates funds to the counties to assist in providing the allowance.

PSM/LAB, FIN

HB 2265

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS.

Transfers continuing supervisory and counseling functions of paroled individuals from Hawaii Paroling Authority to Department of Public Safety.

PSM/LAB, FIN

HB 2716

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS OFFICERS.

Provides corrections officers with similar retirement benefits afforded other law enforcement and safety officers by allowing retirement after 25 years of credited service, unreduced for age.

PSM/LAB, FIN

HB 2340

RELATING TO VETERANS' SERVICES.

Authorizes the Governor, as the appointing authority, to set salary of the Director of the Office of Veterans' Services at an amount not exceeding 74% of the salary of the Director of Human Resources Development.

PSM/LAB, FIN

Decision making to follow.

 

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Thursday, February 2, 2006

9:00 a.m.

Conference Room 309; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 2444

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

This is a short form bill for decision-making only. No testimony will be accepted.

PSM

HB 112

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

This is a short form bill for decision-making only. No testimony will be accepted.

PSM

HB 2325

RELATING TO MONEYS FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.

Raises the ceiling on expenditures from the major disaster fund from $1 million to $2 million to provide for additional disaster relief. Returns the interest earned on the hurricane reserve trust fund to the hurricane reserve trust fund when the Hawaii hurricane relief fund has policyholders. Creates a civil defense disaster preparedness special fund to build or improve public shelters, improve early warning systems, conduct public education on disaster preparedness, promote loss mitigation efforts, provide around the clock alert staff, update evacuation maps in phone books, develop statewide residential safe room design standards, fund disaster or emergency response programs, establish and maintain emergency supplies.

PSM, CPC, FIN

HB 2443

RELATING TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COMPACT.

Ratifies the Emergency Management Assistance Compact and allows Hawaii to become a member.

PSM, JUD, FIN

HB 296

RELATING TO TUITION ASSISTANCE.

Makes a $1,000,000 appropriation for tuition assistance for national guard and military reservists enrolled in degree programs at the University of Hawaii.

PSM, HED, FIN

HB 2549

RELATING TO MILITARY RESERVE COMPONENTS.

Creates a special fund to reimburse the life insurance premiums of national guards deployed to a war zone.

PSM, FIN

HB 484

RELATING TO THE NATIONAL GUARD.

Authorizes the State to deposit the uniform maintenance allowance into a financial institution account designated by a member of the army or air national guard. Increases uniform maintenance allowance from $1.50 to $10 per day.

PSM, FIN

HB 2447

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE HAWAII CIVIL AIR PATROL.

Appropriates funds for the Hawaii Civil Air Patrol.

PSM, FIN

HB 2449

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PERTAINING TO THE CIVIL AIR PATROL.

Capital improvements pertaining to the Hawaii Civil Air Patrol Wing Headquarters.

PSM, FIN

HB 2549

RELATING TO MILITARY RESERVE COMPONENTS.

Creates a special fund to reimburse the life insurance premiums of national guards deployed to a war zone.

PSM, FIN

HB 2998

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO ASSIST THE UNITED STATES ORGANIZATION WITH ITS PLANNED WELCOME HOME CELEBRATION FOR RETURNING HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS IN THE COUNTIES OF HAWAII, MAUI, AND KAUAI.

Makes an appropriation for a grant to the United States Organization for welcome home celebrations for National Guard troops on the neighbor islands.

PSM, FIN

Decision making to follow.

 

 

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS CONCERNS AND COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Thursday, February 2, 2006

9:00 a.m.

Conference Room 325; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 2877

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Suspends the collection of the GET on motor vehicle gasoline for two years.

EDB/TRN, FIN

HB 2708

RELATING TO ADVERTISING.

Prohibits commercial advertising for consideration on vehicles.

EDB, JUD

Decision making to follow.

 

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS CONCERNS

Thursday, February 2, 2006

9:30 a.m.

Conference Room 325; State Capitol

AGENDA:

HB 2707

RELATING TO OUTDOOR ADVERTISING.

Prohibits advertising on a vehicle engaged in business when the vehicle is operated or parked in a public place, or private place if viewed from a public place, if the primary purpose is advertising.

EDB, JUD

HB 3058

RELATING TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION CORPORATION.

Exempts the High Technology Innovation Corporation from chapter 36, HRS, relating to the management of state funds, chapter 38, HRS, relating to the deposits of state funds, and chapter 40, HRS, relating to state audit and accounting.

EDB, FIN

HB 3059

RELATING TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY.

Establishes a small business technology transfer program by authorizing the awarding of grants to Hawaii businesses that receive federal; small business innovation research grants or federal technology transfer program grants.

EDB, FIN

HB 3057

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

Appropriates funds to the high technology development corporation for the small business innovation research grant program, the small business technology transfer program, and the phase 0 competition assistance Program.

EDB, FIN

HB 3060

RELATING TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY.

Establishes a small business technology transfer program within the high technology development corporation.

EDB, FIN

HB 3019

RELATING TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY.

Establishes the high technology industry task force for the state.

EDB, FIN

HB 3068

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes Kunia Special Agriculture District; requires Agribusiness Development Corp. to acquire public and private lands within the district for the development of agricultural projects and project facilities; allows use of funds in the Hawaii agricultural development revolving fund and linked investment loans; makes an appropriation.

EDB, AGR/WLO, FIN

HB 3067

RELATING TO STATE FUNDS.

Establishes linked investments to provide loan funds for agriculture. Authorizes the State to invest in linked investments.

EDB, FIN

HB 3069

RELATING TO USE OF BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES COLLECTED IN HAWAII.

Requires DLNR to implement permitting system for collection of biological resources from Hawaii and provides for use of revenues. Appropriates $250,000.

EDB, WLO/HAW, FIN

HB 2127

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Provides a tax credit to high technology businesses that train high school students in a cooperative education program.

EDB, EDN, FIN

HB 1924

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

Appropriates $680,000 to support the statewide economic development program of the Hawaii small business development center network.

EDB, HED, FIN

HB 2957

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SURVEY AND ENGINEERING DESIGN FEES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDUSTRIAL PARK AT MANA, HILO, HAWAII.

Makes an appropriation for survey and engineering design fees for the development of an industrial park at Mana, Hilo, Hawaii.

EDB, FIN

HB 1968

RELATING TO INTOXICATING LIQUOR.

Requires wine direct shippers to obtain a permit to ship wine to Hawaii residents.

EDB, JUD

Decision making to follow.