STAND. COM. REP. NO. 230

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 418

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 418 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ELECTRONIC DEVICE RECYCLING FUND,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Clarify the purposes for which monies from the electronic device recycling fund may be expended; and

     (2)  Make an appropriation to reimburse the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui for expenses incurred during 2015 and 2016 related to the collection services associated with handling and collecting electronic devices for recycling.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Maui County Ecycling and one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Consumer Technology Association.

     Your Committees find that electronic device recycling prevents toxins, such as lead, from leaching into the environment and harming the environment and human health, saves space in landfills, and allows valuable resources contained in electronic devices, such as copper, gold, and aluminum, to be reclaimed for future use.  Your Committees also find that existing law lacks clarity as to allowable uses of the electronic device recycling fund.  This measure provides clarity and ensures that the electronic device recycling program may continue.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  As recommended by the Department of Health, additionally allowing monies from the electronic device recycling fund to be expended by the Director of Health to support county electronics collections;

     (2)  Making the appropriation a grant-in-aid directly to each respective county, rather than an appropriation to the Department of Health for reimbursement of expenses incurred during 2015 and 2016 by the counties; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 418, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 418, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair