STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2558

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2159

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2159 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEAF BLOWERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify that the residential zone restriction on the use of leaf blowers during certain hours includes residential districts, apartment districts, and business mixed-use districts; and

(2) Remove the exemption on leaf blower restrictions for government agencies.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Facility Maintenance of the City and County of Honolulu, and Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committees find that gasoline powered leaf blowers are not only a noise nuisance but also create environmental hazards. State and county governments across the United States have banned the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers because of their adverse effects on communities. This measure clarifies the residential zone boundaries in which leaf blowers may not be operated during certain hours and removes the exemption for government agencies.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2159, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2159, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair