STAND. COM. REP. NO.  613

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 621

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 621, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect the marine environment and reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean by phasing out, and ultimately prohibiting, the manufacture and sale in Hawaii of personal care products that contain synthetic plastic microbeads.

The Surfrider Foundation; Consumer Healthcare Products Association; Conservation Council for Hawaii; Living Ocean Productions; Humane Society of the United States, Hawaii; Styrophobia; and numerous individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Health, Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii, and a concerned individual supported this measure, but recommended amendments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 621, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KANIELA ING, Chair