BY MATT CASEY, BEVNET.COM STAFF WRITER
The Hawaii state legislature heard testimony Thursday on whether or not the state should follow the example set by Chicago, which recently instituted a five cent per-bottle tax on bottled water.
The Hawaii bill, which would take effect Oct. 1, would go further than the Chicago law and also place a five cent fee on each bottle of water produced in the state. The bill’s text would prevent any single bottle from being taxed twice by the state.
The International Bottled Water Association has challenged Chicago’s law in court, and stated their opposition to Hawaii’s bill.
The IBWA said the potential law would damage the economy and make it more expensive for consumers to buy beverages free of sugar and artificial color and flavorings.
The bill targets only bottled water and no other bottled beverage. Legislators will make a decision on the bill on Tuesday, according to the legislature’s Web site.
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