STAND. COM. REP. NO.  318-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2002

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2002 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPOSIT BEVERAGE CONTAINERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the Deposit Beverage Container Program by requiring the refund value of a deposit beverage container to be marked on the container.

     The Department of Environmental Management of the County of Maui and a member of the Hawaii County Council supported this bill.  The Pepsi Bottling Group Hawaii opposed the measure.  The Department of Health (DOH), Hawaii Food Industry Association, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Hawaii, and Anheuser Busch Companies submitted comments.

     After careful consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by allowing:

     (1)  The refund value of a deposit beverage container to be marked with a securely affixed label; and

     (2)  DOH to adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for products newly introduced into Hawaii that may require temporary stickers until compliance with the law can be achieved.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2002, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2002, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair