STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1541

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 31

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 31 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE HAWAII STATE CAPITOL BUILDING AND ITS GROUNDS AS A SINGLE-USE PLASTIC FREE ZONE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Legislature to designate the Hawaii State Capitol building and its grounds as a single-use plastic free zone.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Animal Rights Hawai‘i, Pele Lani Farm LLC, Keiko Conservation, Zero Waste O‘ahu, and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that a growing body of scientific literature has identified potential human health hazards from plastics, including the release of carcinogenic chemicals from plastic. Your Committee further finds that micro-plastics are ingested by marine animals and can thereby bring toxic chemicals into food sources and harm marine animals. This measure urges the designation of the State Capitol grounds as a single-use plastic free zone so that the State may lead by example in eliminating single-use plastics.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing references to the Legislature with the State Capitol Management Committee to clarify who will lead the designation of the Hawaii State Capitol as a single-use plastic free zone;

(2) Removing the reference to creating a working group, to allow the State Capitol Management Committee to decide how to implement the single-use plastic free zone;

(3) Amending the title to "Senate Concurrent Resolution Urging the State Capitol Management Committee to Designate the Hawaii State Capitol Building and its Grounds as a Single-Use Plastic Free Zone"; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 31, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 31, S.D. 1.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair