STAND. COM. REP. NO.  453

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 385

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 385 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce smoking and other tobacco product use by young persons by, among other things:

(1)  Increasing the minimum age in which one can purchase any tobacco product or electronic smoking device from 18 to 21 years of age; and

(2)  Prohibiting the sale or furnishing of tobacco, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices to persons under 21 years of age,

but exempting, from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2019, persons born after June 30, 1998, from the increased age requirements.

The Honolulu Police Department, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, University of Hawaii Student Health Advisory Council, American Lung Association of the Mountain Pacific, American Heart Association, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, Hawaii Community Pharmacy Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Hawaii COPD Coalition, and numerous individuals supported this measure.  VOLCANO Fine Electronic Cigarettes and two individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Health commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Deleting all references to exempting, from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2019, persons born after June 30, 1998, from the requirements established by this measure;

(2)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 385, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 385, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair