STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2972

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2750

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2750 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BOTTLED WATER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the requirement that noncarbonated bottled water be transported, stored, processed, or bottled through lines or equipment through which only water is passed.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Food Industry Association, Ko Olina Resort, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Ball Corporation, Mananalu, American Beverage Association, and Meadow Gold Dairies. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that many carbonated soft drink companies outside of Hawaii produce canned noncarbonated water with the same equipment used to make their other products. However, existing state law expressly prohibits carbonated soft drink, juice, and beer operations from using the same equipment to can noncarbonated bottled water. This measure repeals the existing restriction that unfairly and unnecessarily limits local beverage filling companies that manufacture other products from providing noncarbonated water in aluminum cans to consumers as an alternative to single-use plastic water bottles.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2750 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair