CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 53

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

RE:    H.B. No. 1628

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAII MACADAMIA NUT PRODUCT LABELING,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to raise consumer awareness of macadamia nut products by requiring labels on macadamia nut consumer packages claiming that a portion of the macadamia nuts was grown in Hawaii to specify the percentage by weight of Hawaii-grown macadamia nuts.

     Your Committee finds that this bill will help protect consumers from misleading labels on macadamia nut packages by requiring clearer disclosures of the amount and origin of the raw or processed macadamia nuts sold in packages. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Making it effective upon its approval; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1628, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair	____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Co-Chair
____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Co-Chair