STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1661

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1205

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 3

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1205, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEMPORARY HEALTH INSURANCE FOR UNEMPLOYED PERSONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to assist unemployed and underemployed persons in maintaining their health insurance coverage by:

 

     (1)  Establishing the Temporary Health Insurance for Unemployed and Underemployed Persons Program (Program) within the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide temporary health care coverage for persons who have lost health insurance coverage due to lost employment or a reduction in hours; and

 

     (2)  Appropriating funds for the Program, provided that only funds received under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 be expended for the Program.

 

     The ILWU Local 142 and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  DHS opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Medical Service Association offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     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. 1205, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1205, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair