STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2230

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2782

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2782 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO METAL,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to aid in the deterrence of criminal activity by including the theft of beer kegs in laws intended to prevent theft and resale of copper.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Anheuser Busch Companies.

 

     The theft of beer kegs has become a problem in recent years.  Testimony indicates that the beer industry loses over 300,000 kegs per year, which equals approximately $15,000,000, due to the theft and resale of beer kegs.  Beer kegs or stainless steel beverage containers are one hundred per cent recyclable; thus, making these containers attractive for individuals for redemption into cash.  Your Committee finds that including the theft of beer kegs in laws intended to prevent theft and resale of copper will deter the theft of stainless steel beverage containers.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting references to beer kegs and replacing it with the term, "stainless steel beverage containers";

 

     (2)  Adding a definition for "stainless steel beverage containers" under section 445-231, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to scrap dealers, and exempting these containers as a deposit beverage container under the Deposit Beverage Container Program under chapter 342G, part VIII, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2008 with a repeal date of July 1, 2010; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and style.

 

     Your Committee believes that including the theft of stainless steel beverage containers in laws intended to prevent theft and resale of copper fulfills the intent of this measure, which is to aid in the deterrence of criminal activity.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2782, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

 

 

 

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair