STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2075

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2824

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2824 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPOSIT BEVERAGE CONTAINER PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to eliminate the dietary supplement exemption from the deposit beverage container program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Sierra Club, and nine individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Grocery Manufacturers Association.

     Your Committee finds that eliminating the dietary supplement exemption from the deposit beverage container program will reduce waste of the Department of Health's resources.  The Department's administration of the dietary supplement exemption consumes an inordinate amount of its resources in comparison to the return, if any, to be gained by exempting dietary supplements.

     Your Committee notes that the dietary supplement Ensure is distributed in "number 5" plastic bottles; consequently, Ensure is already exempt from participating in the program because "number 5" plastic bottles fall outside the scope of the program.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2824 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair