STAND. COM. REP. NO.  241

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 296

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 296 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEAF BLOWERS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Restrict the use of leaf blowers in special improvement districts to a limited time of day when operating leaf blowers within a residential zone or near a residence; and

 

     (2)  Limit the permitted noise level for the operation of a leaf blower within such limited time to sixty decibels.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from six individuals.

 

     Your Committee notes that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, normal human conversations occur at a noise level of sixty decibels and typical leaf blowers emit noise at a level of eighty decibels.  Your Committee finds that limiting the noise emitted from leaf blowers to sixty decibels effectively prohibits their operation.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Limiting the restrictions on the use of a leaf blower to only the Waikiki Special Improvement District, rather than all special improvement districts;

 

     (2)  Extending the time period in which a leaf blower may be operated within a residential zone or within one hundred feet of a residence to 5:00 p.m., rather than 4:00 p.m.;

 

     (3)  Amending the maximum noise level for leaf blowers from sixty decibels to eighty decibels;

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 296, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 296, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair