STAND. COM. REP. NO. 268-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2615
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Transportation and Energy and
Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2615
entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill, as received by your Committee, is
to amend the definition of hazardous materials, and to clarify
reporting requirements for hazardous material incidents during
transportation.

     Your Committee finds that the present definition of
hazardous materials does not conform to federal regulations under
the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act.  Your Committee
further finds that the present statute refers only to hazardous
materials in transit, and not to incidents which occur in
storage.  Your Committee further finds that incidents (potential
or actual spills, leakage, or loss of control) are required to be
reported only to police and fire departments, and notification
forwarded to the United States Department of Transportation.

     This bill proposes to amend the definition of hazardous
materials being transported to be consistent with federal
regulations.  The bill also proposes that the transportation of
hazardous materials shall include storage, while awaiting actual
shipment.  The bill further proposes to extend required reporting
of incidents to the State Department of Health, and that a copy

 
 
 
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                                 Page 2

 
of any required notification be provided to the State Department
of Transportation.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Department of Transportation.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Transportation and Energy and Environmental
Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are
in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2615 and
recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Transportation
                                   and Energy and Environmental
                                   Protection,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair           KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair