STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1060-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2326

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2326, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MICROBEADS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to phase in a prohibition on the manufacture and sale in Hawaii of certain personal care products and non-prescription drugs that contain synthetic plastic microbeads.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Public Health Association, Surfrider Foundation Kauai, Animal Rights Hawaii, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the American Chemistry Council, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Hawaii Youth Climate Coalition, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, and Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that this measure does not apply to rinse-off cosmetics including those rinse-off cosmetics that are non-prescription drugs, as these products are exclusively regulated by the federal government pursuant to the federal Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language that allowed any county ordinance concerning synthetic plastic microbeads to be preempted; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2326, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2326, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair