STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3524

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 132

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 132 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO INVESTIGATE THE RISKS INVOLVED IN THE USE OF BISPHENOL-A AND PHTHALATES IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INCLUDING CHILDREN'S TOYS AND CHILDCARE PRODUCTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to protect the health and welfare of children by requesting the Department of Health to convene a task force to investigate the risks involved in the use of bisphenol-A and phthalates in consumer products, including children's toys and childcare products.

     Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health and the American Chemistry Council.

     Your Committees find that bisphenol-A and phthalates compounds have been found in many consumer products, including toys and teethers for children.  Your Committees are extremely concerned about negative health effects these compounds may cause.

     According to the Department of Health, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has conducted research into the health effects caused by bisphenol-A and phthalates compounds in consumer products and has found inconclusive evidence of harmful effects.  The CDC concluded that more research was necessary to assess the human health effects of these compounds.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure and its title by removing the language requesting the Department of Health to convene a task force and replacing it with language requesting the Department of Health to monitor research being conducted to investigate the risks involved in the use of bisphenol-A and phthalates in consumer products, including children's toys and childcare products.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 132, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 132, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair