STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO.1351

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1456

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1456, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide a variety of amendments, many in the nature of housekeeping amendments, to the deposit beverage container law to decrease the burden on dealers and clarify the requirements of the law.

Specifically, the bill:

(1) Exempts deposits from chapter 235, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Moves the start date for the payment of fees and deposits from October 1, 2002 to January 1, 2005;

(3) Changes the amount due from deposit beverage distributors to include all containers sold, even those exported out of the State, which were previously excluded;

(4) Requires annual reports on October 15 for all importers and manufacturers;

(5) Gives the Department more leeway in siting redemption centers; and

(6) Requires handling fees to be paid within sixty days of receipt of redemption reports, not six months from the end of the calendar quarter.

Your Committee finds that the public is strongly in favor of the deposit beverage container law, and that a few changes were necessary to better tailor the law to fulfill its intended purpose. Your Committee believes that the proposed changes will make the program less costly and more efficient while not compromising its function.

Your Committee has amended the effective date to July 1, 2050 to facilitate further discussions.

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 H.B. No. 1456, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1456, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

		____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair