LEGISLATURE 2003 STATUS REPORT
Environment

Here are many of the major bills under consideration at the Legislature. Listing which bills are passing and which are failing halfway through the legislative session is risky.

Failing bills can be revived, living bills can be rewritten, and key lawmakers can change their minds.

This listing of bills is an effort to show readers where issues appear to be headed. Public participation and lobbying can change the outcome of any issue listed here.

Special wastes recycling
(SB 29 SD1)

Directs the Department of Health to establish a cathode ray tube recycling program by 2008.

Historic sites
(HB 1285 HD1)

Extends penalties for damage to historic property or burial sites found on private lands in the course of land development or land alteration activities when review of site by and approval from historic preservation office has not been received. If human skeletal remains are discovered during development activities in which the required approvals were not obtained, all work shall cease, to allow for the proper removal of the remains.

Automatic land use approvals
(HB 1029 HD1)

Repeals the law that allowed automatic approval of an application for business or development related permit, license or approval, if action to grant or deny the approval does not occur within a specified maximum period of time.

Koa Ridge
(HB 550 HD1)

Fast-tracks development of the Pacific Health Community Center project and portions of Castle and Cooke's Koa Ridge residential development by exempting it from state and county approval processes. Also extends the authorization to issue special purpose revenue bonds for the health center project.

Cave protection
(HB 529 HD1)

Permits entry into caves that are part of state or county parks if entry signs are posted. Expands allowable purposes for entering the caves to include recreational uses.

Shark feeding
(HB 581 HD1)

Makes shark feeding a misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $500. The measure has the endorsement of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Brown tree snakes
(HB 182, SB 554)

Allows the Department of Agriculture to bring four live, sterile brown tree snakes into the state for the purposes of research and training of snake detector dogs.

Solar energy development
(HB 604, SB 527)

Authorizes counties to permit solar energy facilities in agricultural districts.

Emergency environmental work force
(SB 505)

Appropriate money to continue the efforts of the emergency environmental workforce program to improve the state's economy by employing citizens to protect the environment.

Landfill locations

Permits the counties to allow landfills to be located over underground drinking water sources.

Minimum lot sizes

Requires a minimum lot size of 3 acres of contiguous land for agricultural district subdivisions receiving final subdivision plan approval on or after July 1, 2003. Clarifies that one acre will remain the minimum lot size for agricultural district subdivisions receiving final subdivision plan approval prior to July 1, 2003.

Clean power act

Enacts the Clean Power Act to regulate power plants and control emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury and carbon dioxide.

Bottle bill

Would have repealed the so-called "bottle bill" law, which establishes a deposit-return program statewide for beverage containers, starting in 2005.

Energy conservation

Would have extended the energy tax credit for solar, wind, heat pumps and ice storage systems to 2007.

Herbicides

Requires all state agencies to discontinue using herbicides and to maintain public parks with non-chemical means.