STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2440

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2828

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 Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2828 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN REMAINS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to include the use of traditional native Hawaiian burial practices in the treatment and disposal of human remains, including the use of water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Aloha Mortuary LLC; Fisher & Associates, LLC; and twelve individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Department of Health; and Hawaii Funeral & Cemetery Association, Inc.

Your Committees find that there is a renewed interest in native Hawaiian water cremation, also called alkaline hydrolysis. Water cremation is not only a culturally appropriate method of burial but is also a more eco-friendly process. Compared to flame cremation, water cremation uses one-eighth of the energy and has one-fourth the carbon footprint. This measure includes the use of water cremation in the treatment and disposal of human remains.

Your Committees acknowledge the testimony of the Hawaii Funeral & Cemetery Association, Inc., which testified that this measure should provide oversight by state regulatory agencies over alkaline hydrolysis facilities and operators.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring alkaline hydrolysis facilities to be licensed by the Department of Health;

(2) Requiring alkaline hydrolysis facility operators to hold a valid license or certificate issued by the Department of Health and to undergo training pursuant to standards set by the Department of Health;

(3) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2828, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2828, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair