STAND. COM. REP. NO. 541

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1298

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1298 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RECYCLING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allow manufacturers to coordinate activities directly related to the recycling of covered electronic devices;

(2) Expand the scope of covered electronic devices to include electronic device peripherals and certain legacy devices; and

(3) Require manufacturers to provide free collection service locations and collection events.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Consumer Technology Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui, Department of Environmental Management of the County of Hawaiʻi, and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Mr. K's Recycle and Redemption Center, and three individuals.

Your Committees find that the proliferation of technology into communities statewide has increased the amount of electronic waste from broken and legacy devices. Therefore, this measure takes a proactive approach to protecting the natural environment while ensuring continued connectivity for residents statewide.

Your Committees have amended this measure by 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 Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1298, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1298, 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 Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair