STAND. COM. REP. NO. 553

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 770

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 770 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect the health of Hawaii's consumers by establishing a task force to review the State's food security and food safety practices.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Foodservice Alliance and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that this measure supports proper food handling, in compliance with the federal Food Safety Modernization Act, from source to point of sale. Aligning state health standards with federal health standards will help safeguard Hawaii consumers from food-borne illnesses and protect the State's most vulnerable populations from life-threatening sickness.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 770, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 770, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair