STAND. COM. REP. NO. 120-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2227

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was referred H.B. No. 2227 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE "MADE IN HAWAII" PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Rename the Hawaii Made program to the Made in Hawaii program;

(2) Transfer the enforcement of the "Made in Hawaii" trademark from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to promote the Made in Hawaii brand.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Maui Chamber of Commerce. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that Act 2, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, transferred the administration of the Hawaii Made program for manufactured products and the "Hawaii Made" trademark from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. However, enforcement of the program was left to the Department of Agriculture. Your Committee believes that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs may be better suited to enforce compliance with this program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2227, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2227, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development,

____________________________

SEAN QUINLAN, Chair