CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 119

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2011

RE:    H.B. No. 667

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

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 establish a food safety and security program within the Department of Agriculture to provide training, certification, support, and assistance to the agricultural industry in the areas of food safety and security.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that food safety problems represent a potentially serious threat to public health.  The program established by this measure should help to provide overall support and leadership on this important matter.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the provisions requiring DOA to establish rules for the production, processing, and distribution of food products or agricultural commodities to meet state and federal food safety standards;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2011; and

     (3)  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. 667, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair	____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair
____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair	____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Co-Chair
____________________________ MICHELLE KIDANI, Co-Chair	____________________________ ISAAC W. CHOY, Co-Chair
____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Co-Chair