STAND. COM. REP. NO. 849

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 966

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 966 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow as punishment for felony disposal of solid waste and petty misdemeanor disposal of solid waste, forfeiture of any vehicle used in the commission of the offenses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, and Climate Protectors Hawai‘i.

Your Committee finds that vehicles, commercial or personal, are usually involved in the illegal dumping and transport of solid waste. Without landfill safeguards such dumping, especially of hazardous materials and construction and demolition waste, can pollute the neighboring environment, harm human health, and have negative economic consequences. Thus, this measure allows for the forfeiture of any vehicle owned and operated by a person in the commission of an illegal dumping offense in addition to the possibility of imprisonment and fines, to create a more powerful deterrent effect.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 966 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair