STAND. COM. REP. NO. 586

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1505

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Media, Arts, Science, and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1505 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPUTER RECYCLING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the establishment of a two-year pilot computer recycling and disposal program in at least two public schools.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Education, Department of Health, the Representative of the Nineteen District, Friends for Boys & Girls Club, and Hawaii Open Source Education Foundation. The American Chemistry Council submitted comments.

Your Committees find that with the progression of technology use today, old computers are being discarded and replaced with new ones at a rapid rate. Health risks are involved when hazardous materials from electronic devices such as computers and television monitors are released into the environment during incineration. The program in this measure would serve to lay the groundwork for developing possible strategies such as identifying proper disposal methods and services for obsolete used computers, as well as distributing used computers to disadvantaged schools.

Upon further consideration, your Committees have amended this measure to:

(1) Request a report from the Department of Education; and

(2) Require the Department of Education and the Department of Health to participate in task forces that deal with electronic waste.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Media, Arts, Science, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1505, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1505, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Media, Arts, Science, and Technology,

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CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

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NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair