STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3416

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2589

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2589, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCRAP METAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is require a scrap dealer or recycler, as applicable, who purchases any copper, to pay for the copper by check payable to the seller.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney; Reynolds Recycling, Inc.; and one individual.

     This measure further provides that at the time of sale of the copper, the seller shall present to the scrap dealer or recycler a valid photo identification card or license of the seller issued by a federal or state government agency authorized to issue valid identification.  The check may be mailed to the address shown on the identification, or the scrap dealer or recycler may arrange for the check to be picked up personally by the seller at the place of business of the scrap dealer or recycler.

     Your Committee finds that copper theft continues to be a serious problem, inasmuch as copper thieves illegally traffic in stolen copper as a ready source of cash.  Discouraging copper thieves from selling stolen copper for cash to scrap dealers would reduce the incidence of copper theft.

     Your Committee has amended this measure on the recommendation of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney by clarifying the penalty section by making the scrap dealer offenses severable rather than joint.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2589, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2589, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair