STAND. COM. REP. NO.1144

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1456

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1456, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPOSIT BEVERAGE CONTAINER PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend Act 176, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002 (Act 176), the deposit beverage container law, to make the program less costly and more efficient.

The Department of Health and Hawaii Food Industry Association submitted testimony supporting this measure. The Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Hawaii, and The Pepsi Bottling Group submitted testimony supporting the intent of this measure. Paradise Beverages submitted comments on this measure.

Specifically, this measure decreases reporting requirements, improves confidentiality of information submitted to the Department of Health, increases the Department's discretion in designing the redemption system, and creates faster handling fee payments to redemption centers.

Your Committees find that this measure will ease the burden on those affected by the deposit beverage container program. The amendments are the result of agreements among those affected by Act 176, including the beverage, retail, and recycling industries.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1456, H.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

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RON MENOR, Chair

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J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair