STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1645-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2843

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 3

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 S.B. No. 2843, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRONIC DEVICE RECYCLING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect Hawaii's fragile environment and encourage the recycling of electronic devices by establishing an electronic device recycling program.  Among other things, this measure:

(1)  Creates a device-labeling and manufacturer registration system to identify and account for electronic devices covered by the law;

(2)  Requires manufacturers to submit a plan to the Department of Health (DOH) for approval to establish, conduct, and manage a program for the collection, transportation, and recycling of covered electronic devices sold in Hawaii;

 (3) Requires manufacturers to annually report on covered electronic devices recycled, and

(4)  Establishes the Electronic Device Recycling Fund.

     The Department of Education, Kauai County Department of Public Works, and Apple, Inc., testified in support of this bill.  The Information Technology Industry Council and Philips Electronics North America Corporation testified in opposition to this measure.  DOH, University of Hawaii (UH), Department of Budget and Finance, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, Thomson Inc., and UH Environmental Center submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation of an unspecified amount for the establishment of a electronic device recycling program;

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

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 S.B. No. 2843, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2843, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair