Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2518, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect the marketing value of the term "koa," by requiring that items represented to be made of koa wood, actually contain acacia koa wood.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in support of the measure.

Your Committee finds that koa products made from the native acacia koa tree are uniquely Hawaiian products. Your Committee heard testimony that vendors are marketing furniture as "koa" when the furniture is in fact made of Australian Blackwood, a related species of koa grown in Australia and New Zealand. Your Committee finds that this bill will help protect consumers and the local koa wood industry by prohibiting the indiscriminate and misleading use of the word "koa" in marketing, and by providing consumers with a clearer understanding of their purchases.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2518, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.