STAND. COM. REP. NO.  922-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2076

      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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2076 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPLETED URANIUM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the public health from radiation and contaminated dust created by the use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions, by directing the Department of Health (DOH) to establish air sampling stations to determine whether, and to what degree, DU contamination is taking place outside military facilities where DU munitions are used.

     The Hawaii County Council, Kahea: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance, Maui Peace Action, and many concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Department of Defense, DOH, and several concerned individuals submitted comments.

     Your Committee acknowledges the testimony of DOH which noted that, currently, it is able to carry out limited air sampling that is mandated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, however, no funds are available to conduct the DU air sampling.  DOH estimates it would take an annual appropriation of $1,640,000 to carry out this mandate.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020 to encourage further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2076, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2076, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair