STAND. COM. REP. NO.  466-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 3332

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 3332 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRE-PACKAGED MEAT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to update Hawaii's statutes in regard to food safety by providing that a meat or a meat product is adulterated if it is treated with gas or other technology for the sole purpose of enhancing color.

     The Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers, Local 996 supported this bill.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.  The National Meat Association (NMA) submitted comments.

     Your Committee received testimony from NMA stating concerns that the amendments to the Hawaii Meat Inspection Act in this bill would be preempted by Section 408 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, Title 21, United States Code, Chapter 12, Section 678.  Therefore, your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection is respectfully requested to look further into this matter.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3332, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3332, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair