STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1084

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 913

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Reform, to which was referred S.B. No. 913, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE ELECTRONICS MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote electronics stewardship and reduce electronic waste in the State by establishing the Electronic Device and Television Donation Act to require all persons who are located in a county with a population greater than seven hundred fifty thousand and receive state funds and state financial assistance to donate unnecessary but functioning electronic devices to nonprofit organizations that will refurbish and distribute the devices to eligible persons in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and Transform Hawai‘i Government. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services.

Your Committee finds that the use of electronic devices has grown substantially over the past two decades, which has also led to a considerable amount of waste in consumer electronics goods. Your Committee further finds that although recycling of electronic devices prevents valuable materials from being wasted, preventing waste in the first place is the preferable waste management option. Your Committee notes that access to devices and technology resources for low-income families and other populations in need of access is a long-standing issue and has become more evident with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which required many people in Hawaii to work and learn remotely. This measure will promote electronic stewardship and reduce electronic waste by keeping unnecessary but functioning electronic devices from being wasted and instead refurbishing those electronic devices to be donated to those in need of the devices.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Reform that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 913, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 913, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education & Technology.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Reform,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair