Bill Text: HI SB584 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Prohibition; Plastic Shopping Bags

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB584 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB584-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 189

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 584

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 584 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLID WASTE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ban the use of non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags in Hawaii, on the basis that these bags are a hazard to the natural environment.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by four private organizations and four individuals.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by two private organizations.  Comments were submitted by a state department and one private organization. Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that plastic bags contribute to Hawaii's solid waste problem and also pose a consistent threat to avian and marine life in Hawaii.  Your Committee finds that, although plastic bags are being recycled, there is still more that we can do.

 

     In response to comments from the Hawaii Food Industry Association, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying the measure by deleting the words "petroleum" and "fossil-fuel-based" throughout; and

 

     (2)  Substituting more accurate language regarding the biodegrading process.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 584, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 584, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

 

		____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair