STAND. COM. REP. NO. 490

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 16

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 16 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIQUOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow:

(1) All liquor licensees that are engaged in meal service to sell unopened liquor with the food for pickup, delivery, take out, or other means to be consumed off-premises; and

(2) A Class 4 Retail Dealer Licensee to deliver purchased liquor to a customer's vehicle at a nearby curbside or other designated location.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Liquor Control and Liquor Commission of the County of Hawai‘i, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Craft ‘Ohana, Beer Lab HI, Lanikai Brewing Company, Honolulu BeerWorks, Big Island Brewhaus, Kalapawai Market and Cafes, Kauai Beer Company, and Maui Chamber of Commerce. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i Alcohol Policy Alliance. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Honolulu Liquor Commission and County of Kaua‘i.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, liquor licensees that serve food are prohibited from providing liquor for off-premises consumption. Your Committee further finds that licensees were allowed to provide liquor for off-premises consumption under the emergency proclamations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumer purchasing habits have since dramatically shifted to more online and curbside pick-up for their meals, and this measure expands the services allowable by liquor licensees to meet those shifting habits by offering liquor for off-premises consumption.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 16, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 16, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair