STAND. COM. REP. NO 177

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 711

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 711 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROCUREMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the expenditure of state funds by state agencies for the purchase of single-serving bottled water, except under certain circumstances.

     Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Education and International Bottled Water Association.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     Your Committees find that there is a need to reduce the use of disposable plastics in the State.  However, state agencies need to be able to purchase bottled water in certain circumstances, including emergency or natural disaster situations.  The implementation of this measure will prohibit the expenditure of state funds by state agencies for the purchase of single-serving bottled water, except under certain circumstances.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by expanding the exception to the prohibition on the expenditure of state funds to purchase single-serving bottled water to allow for the purchase of single-serving bottled water in circumstances pertaining to public health and safety preparedness.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 711, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 711, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Government Operations,

____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair