STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2846

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2774

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2774, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a task force within the University of Hawaii School of Social Sciences to evaluate comprehensive recycling options available to schools, including a detailed cost‑benefit analysis related to establishing a school recycling program in the State.

     The Department of Education and the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Social Sciences Public Policy Center submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that every school day, each student throughout the State produces about half a pound of waste.  A school recycling program would reduce unnecessary spending on waste disposal and alleviate some of the spatial issues facing Hawaii landfills.  A school recycling program in the State will also teach students important recycling habits and ultimately benefit the environment.

     According to the Public Policy Center, the measure's broad scope exceeds what the Public Policy Center's capacity can support this year and would require a substantial redirection of faculty resources.  In consideration of this, your Committee amended the measure to narrow its scope by:

     (1)  Requiring the scope of the evaluation to be limited to a small number of pilot sites rather than to be comprehensive;

     (2)  Requiring the task force to provide a summary feasibility report instead of a detailed cost‑benefit analysis; and

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

     Your Committee retained an appropriation section in the measure.  However, given the fact that the scope of the measure has been narrowed, it is likely that no general funds will be needed to implement the project.

     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 S.B. No. 2774, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2774, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair