STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1277-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 75

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 75, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Health to establish the Hawaii Battery Storage Recycling Task Force (Task Force) to make recommendations for a workable recycling program for battery storage devices in the State.

The Department of Health; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and Distributed Energy Resources Council of Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric, and Hawaii Electric Light commented on this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1)  Adding a representative from Hawaiian Electric to serve on the Task Force to, among other things, provide input and guidance on the recycling of batteries used for utility-side and customer-side applications; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 75, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 75, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair