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Bills on autism, health exchange advance ahead of deadline

COURTESY DON KING
Beau King began biting his hand at age 10

Lawmakers are racing to pass bills out of final committees ahead of a legislative deadline.

One bill that cleared a committee hurdle Friday would require insurance companies to cover diagnosis and treatment for autistic children.

Another proposal would send $2 million to the Hawaii Health Connector to use for operations.

Some bills are facing a less successful fate. A proposal to ban smoking on the campuses of Hawaii’s public hospitals has died.

Lawmakers are still trying to reach agreement on plans to set up medical marijuana dispensaries and extend a tax to fund rail.

Most bills that clear committees Friday are expected to be approved by full Legislature. But anything that doesn’t clear its final committee hurdle Friday evening will die.

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