HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

 

AMENDMENT TO:

Senate Bill 2395, SD2, HD1, CD1

 

OFFERED BY:

Representative Cynthia Thielen

 

DATE:

April 27th, 2010

 

 

SECTION 1.  Senate Bill 2395, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1, Conference Draft 1, is amended by amending Section 1 to read as follows:

 

     "SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the staff of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund is encountering difficulties performing its duties.  The legislature believes that these difficulties are the result of an increased and more complex workload, shortage of personnel, and absence of board and administrative leadership.

     The legislature further finds that the enabling law for the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust, an alternative health-benefits system used by the employee organization for public school teachers, will sunset on July 1, 2010.  The legislature declares that it does not intend to make

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CARRIED

 

FAILED TO CARRY

 

WITHDRAWN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHIEF CLERK, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the enabling law permanent or extend the sunset date for another pilot testing period.

     Notwithstanding this intent, the legislature finds that the staff of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund will experience extreme difficulty assisting in the transition of public school teachers and their dependents from the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust to the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund on July 1, 2010, while continuing to perform its normal duties.  The legislature does not want to place an excessive burden on the staff or cause uncertainty for these public school teachers and their dependents.

     Thus, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Extend the enabling law for the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust for twelve months to provide for a smoother transition to the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund;

     (2)  Appropriate funds for five temporary positions to assist in the transition of public employees and their dependents from the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust to the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund;

     (3)  Appropriate funds for five permanent positions to assist in the performance of Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund duties; and

     (4)  Appropriate funds to cover costs associated with the transition from the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust to the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund."

SECTION 2.  Senate Bill 2395, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1, Conference Draft 1, is amended by amending Section 2 to read as follows:

 

     "SECTION 2.  Act 245, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, section 8, as amended by Act 294, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, section 2, as amended by Act 16, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, section 18, as amended by Act 5, First Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, section 1, is amended to read as follows:

     "SECTION 8.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval, for the purpose of establishing a voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust pilot program in March, 2006 and shall be repealed on July 1, [2010] 2011; provided that sections 89-2, 89-3, 89-6, and 89-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are reenacted in the form in which they read on the day before the effective date of this Act; and provided further that the amendments made to section 89-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by Act 202, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, shall not be repealed when that section is reenacted on [July 1, 2009.] July 1, 2011."

SECTION 3.  Senate Bill 2395, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1, Conference Draft 1, is amended by amending Sections 3, 4, and 5 to read as follows:

 

     "SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $465,084 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for five temporary positions under the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund to assist in the transition of public employees and their dependents from the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust to the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund on July 1, 2011.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $488,718 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for five permanent positions under the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund to assist in the performance of duties of the trust fund.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $446,198 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for costs associated with the transition from the voluntary employees' beneficiary association trust to the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund for the purposes of this Act."