STAND. COM. REP. NO. 750

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 516

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 516 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require that the identity statement used for labeling or advertising hemp products identify the percentage of Hawaii-grown hemp and hemp of other origins contained in hemp products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Hawai‘i Hemp Farmers Association; Kanalani Ohana Farm; Maui Farmers Union; Adaptations, Inc.; ‘Ai Pōhaku; and twenty-one individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that hemp continues to provide an opportunity for farmers in the State to diversify and expand agricultural production into new areas. Currently, there is no law that requires hemp producers to disclose the origin of the hemp in their products, which limits Hawaii hemp farmers' ability to promote Hawaii hemp products. This measure will provide customers the opportunity to make an informed decision about the source of their purchases and provide local hemp farmers the opportunity to distinguish Hawaii hemp products on the global market.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to

encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the

purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 516, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 516, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair