STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2141

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2709

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Housing and Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2709 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE PRODUCTS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to give first preference to environmentally-sensitive cleaning and maintenance products that have been approved by the Design for the Environment Program of the United States Environmental Protection Agency for use in public schools.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency.  One state agency and one private organization provided comments.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has years of experience and technical expertise in environmental health issues.  Your Committees also find that as a product of the EPA, the Design for the Environment Program is a credible source of recommendations for cleaning and maintenance products that prevent serious threats to human and environmental health.  However, your Committees further find that expanding the list of products that are given first preference by the Department of Education in some of its purchasing decisions promotes competition among the producers of those products.

 

     In accordance with the findings, your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding the Green Seal program and the EcoLogo program administered by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc. as programs, in addition to the Design for the Environment program, whose approved cleaning and maintenance products shall be given first preference by the Department of Education in the purchase and use of cleaning and maintenance products in public schools; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style and clarity.

 

     Your Committees note that although preferences for the use and purchase of products approved by certain nongovernmental certifies may be a concern under the equal protection clause, your Committees find it important to ensure that products used to clean and maintain facilities used by children, teachers, and staff meet stringent human and environmental health requirements.  Your Committees recommend further discussion to address this issue in a way that does not compromise the health and safety of schools or school children, teachers, and staff.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Housing and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2709, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2709, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Housing and Energy and Environment,

 

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair