STAND. COM. REP. NO.  710

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1611

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1611, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LABELING OF MEAT AND FISH PRODUCTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to promote truthful labeling of meat and fish products by requiring such products that have been gas-treated to be labeled with:

     (1)  The type of gas used; and

     (2)  A statement that the gas treatment was used to approximate the appearance of freshness.

     The Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers, Local 996 testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Food Industry Association and Grocery Manufacturers Association opposed this bill.  The Department of Health provided comments.

     Gas treatments can be used to enhance the color of meat and fish and give them the appearance of freshness even when they have high bacterial levels indicative of spoilage.  This bill seeks to ensure that gas-treated meat and fish products are labeled as such to enable consumers to make informed purchases.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Removing references to:

          (A)  Meat or meat products derived from exotic animals; and

          (B)  Gas treatments to enhance product color;

     and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to November 1, 2009.

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1611, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1611, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary,

____________________________ JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Chair

____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair