The Chamber advocates for bills that will lower the cost of doing business and strengthen Hawaii’s business climate. There are several measures this session that would affect the ability to do business in Hawaii. 

Sherry Menor-McNamara discusses the Chamber’s concerns with a proposal to eliminate single-use plastic bags

Chamber-Priority Bills Before the Legislature

SB11 SD1	This bill would prohibit restaurants from serving prepared foods using polystyrene foam containers statewide. Authorizes the Department of Health to adopt rules.
SB367 SD1	This bill would prohibitsfood service businesses and stores from the sale, use, or distribution of polystyrene foam containers, expanded polystyrene food service products, plastic straws, and plastic bags.
SB522 SD1	This bill would prohibit the purchase, use, sale, or distribution of plastic beverage bottles, utensils, stirring sticks, polystyrene foam containers, and straws by state and county agencies after July 1, 2021, and by businesses selling food and beverages after July 1, 2022. It would also ban the distribution or sale of plastic bags after July 1, 2023 and create the plastic source reduction working group to make recommendations for eliminating single-use plastic packaging.
SB1463 SD1	This bill would replace the environmental response, energy, and food security tax with a carbon emissions tax, ad repeal state fuel taxes under the fuel tax law.
SB1474 SD1	This bill would increase the general excise tax and use tax by 0.5% to provide a dedicated funding source for the department of education and the University of Hawaii.
SB666 SD1	This bill would authorize the establishment of the Hawaii Airports Corporation within the Department of Transportation.