STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2079

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1588

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture to establish and implement a GroupGAP Food Safety Training and Certification Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; University of Hawai‘i System; Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui; North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership; Ohana Hui Ventures, Inc.; Ulupono Initiative; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; MetroGrow Hawaii; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaii Fish Company; Hāmākua Institute; Lanakila Pacific; Hawaii Public Health Institute; and ten individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, rather than the Department of Agriculture, to establish and implement a GroupGAP Food Safety Training and Certification Program;

(2) Changing the appropriation expending agency to the University of Hawaii; and

(3) 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair