STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3351

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3144

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3144, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GRANTS FOR LOCAL RECYCLING FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to support recycling in the State by establishing in the Office of Solid Waste Management a recycling facility grant program, to be administered by the Department of Health.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Health to issue grants to recycling facility operators to offset in-state operational costs;

(2) Requires grant program funds to be disbursed from the environmental management special fund and authorizes grants of up to $750,000;

(3) Provides that grantees shall submit to specified requirements, including licensing and accreditation; compliance with applicable non-discrimination laws; provision of full access to the grantee's program, managerial, and fiscal records; and compliance monitoring; and

(4) Appropriates funds for the implementation of the grant program, including for the establishment of one full-time equivalent contract specialist position.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Pono Hawaii Initiative, and one individual.

The Maui Chamber of Commerce submitted written comments on this measure.

Your Committee finds that the recycling facility grant program established by this measure will aid efforts to divert more municipal waste from landfills and, accordingly, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by supporting the operations of businesses that focus on the reduction, recycling, bioconversion, and composting of solid waste.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that moneys in the environmental management special fund may be expended to award grants through the recycling facility grant program;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3144, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3144, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair