HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.150 2024-2026From: Jeremy Drake
Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 11:28 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony on Bill 83
1 am writing in support of Bill 83 (draft 2), which passed out of the Policy Committee on Environmental
and Natural Resource Management on October21, 2025.
As a resident of Montana, earlier this year, I saw residents, small business owners, elected officials, and
representatives of multiple NGOs testify in support of a statewide polystyrene phase -out. It was a
common sense law, just like Hawaii County's Bill 83 (Draft 2), and it won bipartisan support in a very
divided state legislature.
Montana is�a state with a plastic preemption law, which means municipalities are denied the ability to
adopt common sense local regulations to protect their communities from unnecessary and toxic single -
use plastic products. The only path toward regulating those products in Montana is statewide action.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that, during these divided political times, people from across the state
and from different walks of life and legislators from both sides of the aisle found something to agree on in
this polystyrene phase -out, the bipartisan bill —passed out of both the House and the Senate —was
vetoed bythe Governor.
Unlike in Montana, Hawai'i County Councillors do have the power to act.1 urge you to use your local
power to protect all citizens of the County of Hawai'i—human and otherwise —from the known harms of
polystyrene. Do pass bill. 83 (Draft 2).
Thankyou,
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Ref. To:
Ref. Date - L52025