STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1162

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1943

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1943, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR THE DEPOSIT BEVERAGE CONTAINER PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to cover unanticipated expenses of the Deposit Beverage Container Program (Program).

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health.

 

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII,

Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in her Governor's Message No. 241 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this measure by the Legislature, citing an existing critical funding shortage.

 

     This bill appropriates $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2006-2007 from the Deposit Beverage Container Deposit Special Fund to be used to:

 

     (1)  Reimburse deposit beverage container refund values;

 

     (2)  Pay handling fees to redemption centers; and

 

     (3)  Pay for operating costs of the Program for deposit beverage container activities.

     The appropriation is to be expended by the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committee finds that the emergency appropriation is necessary due to higher than anticipated deposit beverage container sales and redemptions have increased program costs.

 

     It is the intent of your Committee to make an emergency appropriation to provide sufficient moneys to meet the increased expenses of the deposit beverage container program.

 

     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 H.B. No. 1943, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair