STAND. COM. REP. NO. 994

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 367

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 367, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit food service businesses and stores from the sale, use, or distribution of polystyrene foam containers, expanded polystyrene food service products, plastic straws, and plastic bags.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Animal Rights Hawai‘i, Organizing for Action, Friends of Hanauma Bay, Hawai‘i Reef and Ocean Coalition, Zero Waste O‘ahu, No Single Use Hawaii, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai‘i, Kona Brewing Company, Surfrider Foundation, Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, and fifty-five individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Island Plastic Bags Inc.; Cooke Street Diner; LoCo MoCo Drive Inn—Ewa Beach; Pho Tri Restaurant; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Nabeya Maido; Shiro's Saimin Haven; Papa's Cafe; American Chemistry Council; Hibachi; Queen Street Cafe & Grill; HNA FOOD SERVICES LLC; Jets Fast Food; Tatsuos; Hawaii Restaurant Association; Stadium Pho; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Hawaii Restaurant Association; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; KYD, Inc. dba: K. Yamada Distributors; and three individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committees find that single-use plastics, such as polystyrene foam containers and plastic bags, have a negative impact on native species of cultural significance, including endangered and subsistence resource species.  In Hawaiian waters, the ingestion of discarded plastic debris, such as polystyrene and plastic bags by native seabirds and endangered turtles, is a well-documented phenomenon that has highly injurious or fatal consequences.

 

     Your Committees further find that the littering of polystyrene foam, plastic straws, and plastic bags are the most common types of litter that pollute Hawaii.  Your Committees find that prohibiting the distribution of these materials can help protect Hawaii's land, native species, and waters.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 367, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair