STAND. COM. REP. NO.  679-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.R. No. 41

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.R. No. 41 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF MANDATORY STATEWIDE TRAINING STANDARDS FOR SELLERS AND SERVERS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to reduce the negative consequences of excessive alcohol consumption by patrons of commercial establishments by requesting the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) to study the feasibility of mandatory statewide training standards for sellers and servers of alcoholic beverages.

     The Hawaii Food Industry Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving supported this resolution.  DCCA provided comments.

     Alcoholic beverage server training to identify and deal with overdrinking by patrons would help to reduce drunk driving fatalities and violent crimes in Hawaii, as well as the liability of owners of retail and serving establishments.  However Hawaii is one of only 15 states that lack an alcoholic beverage server training law.  Currently, server training requirements, if any, are not uniform, and are left to each county's liquor commission.
     Your Committee has not transferred the server training feasibility study to the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB), as suggested by DCCA, because LRB is overtaxed and may be faced with budget cuts.

     Your Committee requests that the working group assembled by DCCA include representatives of the four county liquor commissions and at least the following community groups:  the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association, Hawaii Restaurant Association, and Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 41 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair