STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2332

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2028

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2028 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish a two-year pilot program to install sunscreen dispensers at Hanauma Bay and Waikiki beaches to provide sunscreens without oxybenzone or octinoxate to visitors and educate visitors on the harmful effects of oxybenzone and octinoxate on the marine environment; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the pilot program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Health, one member of the Maui County Council, Friends of Hanauma Bay, Fair Wind Cruises, and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation.

Your Committee finds that that two chemicals contained in many sunscreens, oxybenzone and octinoxate, have significant harmful impacts on Hawaii's marine environment and residing ecosystems, including coral reefs that protect Hawaii's shoreline. Act 104, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, bans the sale, offer of sale, and distribution in the State of any sunscreen, excluding facial cosmetics, that contains oxybenzone or octinoxate, without a prescription, beginning January 1, 2021.

Your Committee further finds that visitors to Hawaii may be unaware of the harmful impacts of oxybenzone and octinoxate and may also be unfamiliar with sunscreen products that do not contain these chemicals. This measure establishes a two-year pilot program at Hanauma Bay beach and Waikiki beach to provide sunscreen without oxybenzone and octinoxate to visitors and educate visitors on the harmful effects of oxybenzone and octinoxate on the marine environment. Your Committee learned through testimony that a plan to provide visitors to Hanauma Bay with sunscreen without oxybenzone and octinoxate has already been implemented by the City and County of Honolulu.

Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting Hanauma Bay beach from section 2 of this measure, which would have established the two-year pilot program at Hanauma Bay beach, replacing Hanauma Bay beach with Pupukea beach park, Wailea beach, and Honolua Bay beach, and making conforming amendments;

(2) Inserting appropriate appropriation language;

(3) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2033, to encourage further discussion; 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 Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2028, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2028, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair