Bitter News

Health Committee defers aspartame-ban bill

By Stephen Fox / Santa Fe Sun News Managing Editor

Rather than bringing the bill to ban aspartame (HB2680) to a vote in his Health Committee, Chairman Josh Green M.D. "deferred at the discretion of the Chair" the bill championed by Rep. Mele Carroll. This shoots the bill down for this session.

There still is a Senate Bill, but with more than 3,000 bills to consider, the Senate Bill to ban aspartame has yet to be scheduled for its hearing. The deadline for the SB2506 to be heard is Feb. 26.

Sen. Kalani English’s bill is Hawaii’s only hope to get rid of aspartame. The bill is co-sponsored by Suzanne Chun-Oakland.

Chairman Senator David Ige hasn’t scheduled it yet, and time is ticking for those who want the bill heard.

Sen. Ige: phone 808-586-6230; fax 808-586-6231 E-mail

sendige@Capitol.hawaii.gov  

Vice-Chair Carol Fukunaga: phone 808-586-6890; fax 808-586-6899 E-mail:

senfukunaga@Capitol.hawaii.gov