STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1002-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2511

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2511, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce the adverse effects of single-use checkout bag waste on Hawaii's precious and unique natural environment. 

     Specifically, this measure establishes an offset fee for the distribution of single-use checkout bags and directs that the bulk of fee revenues be used to fund programs to mitigate the damaging effects of single-use checkout bags.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources; the Department of Health; the Environmental Center of the University of Hawaii at Manoa; the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; the West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership; The Trust for Public Land; The Nature Conservancy; the Surfrider Foundation; Sustainable Coastlines; The Outdoor Circle; the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; the League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Hawaii Food Industry Association; the Conservation Council for Hawaii; the Safeway Companies; Times Supermarkets; KYD, Inc.; the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Castle & Cooke Resorts, LLC; and numerous individuals supported this measure.  Two individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Taxation, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Verizon Wireless, and two individuals commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Including a sunset date of December 31, 2017; and

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

     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 S.B. No. 2511, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2511, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business.

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

____________________________

DENNY COFFMAN, Chair