STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3713

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2475

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2475, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LABELING REQUIREMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish labeling requirements for ʻōkolehao products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, and one individual.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Kahuna Spirits Ltd and three individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from Kamehameha Schools.

Your Committee finds that ʻōkolehao is a culturally significant Hawaiian distilled spirit with deep roots in the State's history and identity. ʻŌkolehao is traditionally made from Hawaii-grown kī (ti plant), and its authenticity is central to its value, both to consumers and to the local producers and cultural practitioners who sustain its legacy. Your Committee further finds that the absence of clear production and labeling standards has allowed the use of the ʻōkolehao brand to be applied to products that do not reflect authentic Hawaiian agricultural production, which can lead to reduced consumer confidence and lost economic opportunity for local farmers and producers. This measure would establish labeling standards consistent with the State's broader agricultural branding framework and send a clear message that the State stands behind the integrity of its place‑based products.

Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that "ʻōkolehao" means a distilled spirit that:

(1) Is distilled from a fermented mash of one hundred percent kī root grown in the State; and

(2) Is distilled from agricultural products that were one hundred percent cultivated and harvested in the State.

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 H.B. No. 2475, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2475, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair