STAND. COM. REP. NO. 674

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 179

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 179 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPOSIT BEVERAGE CONTAINER PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to include dietary supplement containers in the state deposit beverage container program.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Loretta J. Fuddy, A.C.S.W., M.P.H., Acting Director of Health, Department of Health; Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter; Joy Leilei Shih, Surfrider Foundation, Oahu Chapter; and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee received comments in opposition to this measure from Lauren Zirbel, Vice Chair, Hawaii Food Industry Association; and John Hewitt, Western Region Director, Grocery Manufacturers Association.

 

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that dietary supplements are excluded from the definition of "deposit beverage" under the state deposit beverage container program, codified in chapter 342G, Hawaii Revised Statutes.  Your Committee further finds that certain energy drinks are using this exemption to evade compliance with the State's deposit beverage container program law and that there is no reason to continue the exemption for this growing class of beverages.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion of the issue.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 179, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 179, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair