STAND. COM. REP. NO. 609

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1059

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1059, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit certain businesses from distributing single-use plastic checkout bags at the point of sale, with certain exceptions, and thereby reduce waste generation within the State.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Audubon Society; Surfrider Foundation, Hawaii Chapters; Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter; and twelve individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Conservation Council for Hawaii, American Chemistry Council, and Retail Merchants of Hawaii.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from The Safeway Companies and Times Supermarkets.

 

     Your Committee finds that single-use plastic checkout bags, as defined in this measure, present a hazard to the environment that this measure seeks to address.  Your Committee acknowledges that this measure proposes to implement one of several methods of addressing the hazard to the environment caused by the unregulated distribution of plastic bags.  While alternative methods have been proposed, your Committee finds that it is appropriate to move forward with the method proposed in this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1059, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1059, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair