STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1566

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 745

S.D. 1

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 745, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the offense of false labeling of Hawai‘i-grown coffee to include roasted coffee;

(2) Impose a mandatory $10,000 fine for each separate offense of false labeling of Hawai‘i-grown coffee; and

(3) Establish a measurements standards inspector position within the Department of Agriculture for enforcement.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawai‘i Coffee Company, Rancho Aloha Coffee Farm, Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, and Hawai‘i Farmers Union United.

Your Committee finds that fraudulent representations as to a coffee's geographic origin diminishes the value of that geographic identifier by harming its reputation. Your Committee further finds that the State's coffee industry is susceptible to coffee counterfeiting. This measure enhances the associated penalties with the offense of false labeling of Hawai‘i-grown coffee to deter further coffee counterfeiting.

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 745, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 745, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair