Committee Summary for House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (01/30/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HB451 00:04:36.520 - 9:03:38 AM	Public Hearing	establishing the paint product stewardship program.	Ebel, Karen(D)[CT]2024

HB451: Representative Karen Eel, Marac District 7 Support00:04:36.520 - 9:03:38 AM; Representative Eel introduced HB 451, which aims to establish a post-consumer paint stewardship program in New Hampshire. She highlighted the bill's broad support from various stakeholders including the solid waste working group, industry, and municipalities. The program would allow consumers and businesses to return leftover paint to participating retailers for recycling, which is voluntary for retailers. She noted the environmental benefits of preventing paint from entering landfills and the fiscal benefits for municipalities, as paint constitutes a significant portion of household hazardous waste. Eel also emphasized the program's alignment with the state's solid waste management plan and its potential to save taxpayer money by reducing disposal costs. The bill has been crafted with input from the Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the American Coatings Association (ACA), ensuring minimal administrative costs for the state.
HB451: Representative Judy Aaron, Sullivan District 4 Support00:32:28.600 - 9:31:30 AM; Representative Aaron, co-sponsor of the bill and chair of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee, strongly supported HB 451. She emphasized the bill's role in preventing toxic paint waste from entering landfills, thus reducing environmental contamination. Aaron explained that the current practice of mixing paint with kitty litter and disposing it in landfills is costly and environmentally harmful. The proposed program would allow consumers to easily recycle paint at collection points, saving municipalities money on disposal and benefiting consumers by providing a simple solution for leftover paint. She highlighted the program's success in other states and its broad support from manufacturers, consumers, and environmental groups.
HB451: Representative Peter Bixby, Strafford District 13 Support00:37:56.680 - 9:36:58 AM; Representative Bixby, ranking member of the Environment and Agriculture Committee, endorsed HB 451 based on its unanimous passage in their committee the previous year. He noted the bill's improvement over previous versions, tailored specifically for New Hampshire's needs after extensive collaboration with the American Coatings Association and other stakeholders. Bixby highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of recycling paint instead of disposing of it in landfills, especially for oil-based paints classified as hazardous waste. He mentioned the low cost of the program's fees compared to the disposal costs currently borne by taxpayers and municipalities.
HB451: Heidi McAlli, American Coatings Association Support00:43:59.800 - 9:43:01 AM; Heidi McAlli, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Coatings Association, testified in support of HB451. She outlined the history and success of the paint stewardship program, which was developed collaboratively with environmental agencies, environmental groups, and the Product Stewardship Institute in the early 2000s. The program started as a pilot in Oregon in 2008 and has since expanded to 11 other states. McAlli explained that the program's goal is to manage leftover paint effectively, reducing landfill waste by recycling latex paint and recovering energy from solvent-based paint. She detailed the operational structure, including collection locations, transportation, and processing. The program is funded by a fee for service assessed on paint sales, ensuring it operates at zero cost to the state. McAlli highlighted the program's benefits for local governments and small businesses, including large volume pick-up services.
HB451: Mike Winstat, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Information Only01:13:31.159 - 10:12:33 AM; Mike Winstat, Director of the Waste Management Division for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, provided information on HB451. He mentioned that the department has not taken a position on the bill but shared its alignment with the state's solid waste management goals and the public health benefits of proper paint disposal. Winstat noted the collaborative work with sponsors and the ACA to address concerns about the bill. He also discussed the inefficiencies and high costs of current household hazardous waste collection days for municipalities, emphasizing how the proposed program could offer a more cost-effective solution.
HB451: Reagan Binet, Northeast Resource Recovery Association Information Only01:19:44.760 - 10:18:46 AM; Reagan Binet from the Northeast Resource Recovery Association provided data on the costs municipalities incur for paint collection during household hazardous waste events. She noted that paint makes up over half of the collected waste by weight, with an average cost of $7,100 per event for these communities. Binet explained how the proposed bill could help mitigate these costs by providing more accessible recycling opportunities for residents.
HB451: Mark Morgan, Casella Waste Systems Support01:23:35.159 - 10:22:37 AM; Mark Morgan, Landfill Manager for Casella Waste Systems, testified in support of HB451. He explained that product stewardship programs like the one proposed help manage problematic materials in waste streams, including paint. Morgan highlighted the benefits of these programs in promoting safe and meaningful end-of-life management of products, which aligns with Casella's operations.
HB451: Henry Veu, Waste Management Support01:25:53.880 - 10:24:55 AM; Henry Veu from Waste Management supported HB451, stating that it aligns with current state law favoring source reduction and recycling over landfilling. He mentioned that Waste Management manages a significant portion of the state's waste and believes the proposed program would help achieve the state's waste management hierarchy goals.
HB451: Nash Grace, BIA (Business and Industry Association) Support01:27:24.719 - 10:26:26 AM; Nash Grace from the BIA supported HB451, emphasizing that while the organization does not support sales taxes, it backs the bill as it allows manufacturers to raise prices uniformly for a good public policy purpose. Grace clarified that this approach avoids antitrust issues and supports the effective management of paint disposal.
HB451: Representative Heath Howard, representing Strafford and Barrington, Strafford District 4 Support03:49:22.479 - 12:48:24 PM; Representative Heath Howard spoke in support of HB186, stating it is a common-sense approach to address revenue declines without imposing new taxes. He emphasized that the bill would allow people new liberties by legalizing the possession of cannabis, although it would not permit public use. Howard mentioned his previous opposition to changes that would ban public smoking or vaping but indicated a willingness to compromise to get the bill passed. He believes it's a step towards getting the bill to the governor's desk.
HB451: Patrick Suvin, Executive Director, New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police Oppose03:51:15.920 - 12:50:17 PM; Patrick Suvin, representing the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police, spoke in opposition to the legalization of marijuana. He highlighted several concerns from a public safety perspective, including the inability to test for legal limits of marijuana use while operating vehicles, the conflict with federal law regarding firearm possession while using marijuana, and the potential risks of homegrown marijuana flooding the market with untested products. He also expressed concerns about the bill's amendment section and the potential endangerment to public safety roles like police officers, truck drivers, pilots, and school bus drivers due to marijuana use.
HB451: Representative Gibbs Information Only03:54:38.560 - 12:53:40 PM; Representative Gibbs clarified aspects of the bill, noting that it makes it illegal to operate vehicles or airplanes under the influence of marijuana. He raised a question about the lack of a legal standard or limit for impairment, which is a concern for enforcement.
HB451: Representative Pusch Information Only03:55:13.920 - 12:54:15 PM; Representative Pusch shared information from a Wall Street Journal article indicating that the THC content in marijuana has increased significantly from the 1960s and 70s to the present day, rising from about 6% to 90%. This was in response to Patrick Suvin's testimony about the increased potency of marijuana.
HB451: Gibbs Information Only03:55:48.920 - 12:54:50 PM; Gibbs, following up on a previous question, inquired about the methods used by other states that have legalized marijuana to determine if a driver is impaired. He mentioned programs such as detection classes and expressed concerns about the limited resources in New Hampshire for training police officers in certification related to marijuana impairment.
HB451: Spear Information Only03:56:34.000 - 12:55:36 PM; Spear discussed the implications of marijuana legalization on employment, particularly focusing on federal contracts at BAE Systems where marijuana use is prohibited. He raised questions about whether police could prohibit marijuana use by employees under the bill, noting the bill's stance on discrimination against past convictions and marijuana use.
HB451: Teresa Information Only03:57:20.640 - 12:56:22 PM; Teresa asked about the experiences of neighboring states like Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont regarding the impact of marijuana legalization on law enforcement. She specifically inquired about any increase in criminalization, accidents, or impaired driving, and noted that while there have been increases in impaired driving and fatalities, she could not comment on employment effects.
HB451: Joe Hannon, New Hampshire Cannabis Association Advisory Board Support03:59:00.600 - 12:58:02 PM; Joe Hannon, a former member of the House Commerce Committee and part of the New Hampshire Cannabis Association Advisory Board, expressed support for the bill. He highlighted the similarity of the bill to previous proposals that passed the committee, emphasizing it as a good starting point. Hannon discussed the choice aspect of cannabis use, noting that it does not force anyone to use it, and shared statistics on cannabis use in the U.S. He criticized the enforcement and fairness of current cannabis laws, pointing out racial disparities in arrests. Hannon also touched on the lack of roadside tests for cannabis impairment compared to alcohol and questioned the effectiveness of prohibition given the legalization in surrounding states and Canada. He addressed concerns about labeling requirements for marijuana products, confirming that there are marketing and labeling regulations in the bill, though unsure about specific health warnings. Additionally, he discussed the challenges in setting a per se limit for cannabis impairment due to individual variability in response to the drug, and compared the risks of driving under the influence of cannabis versus alcohol.

Hunt, John(Chairman)(R)[B+]2024	Post, Lisa(Clerk)(R)[A]2024	Potucek, John(V Chairman)(R)[A]2024
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Walsh, Lilli(R)[B]2024	Porcelli, Susan(R)[A-]2024	Spier, Carry(D)[CT]2024
Burroughs, Anita(D)[CT]2024	Gibbs, Merryl(D)[CT]2024	McAleer, Chris(D)[CT]2024
Sullivan, Jared(D)[D+]2024	Miles, Julie(R)	Presa, Adam(R)