STAND. COM. REP. NO.  438

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 667

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business, to which was referred H.B. No. 667 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to promote the consistent and effective application of food safety requirements by food production and processing facilities in the State.

     Specifically, the measure requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in cooperation with the Departments of Agriculture and Health, to develop a detailed plan of action to simplify and consolidate permitting and licensing requirements for the production and processing of food by food production and processing facilities to facilitate compliance with food safety requirements.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture.  The Department of Health supported the intent.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will help streamline the permitting and licensing requirement process for the production and processing of food and eliminate conflicts between state and federal requirements.  However, your Committee acknowledges the concerns expressed by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism that it does not have the core competency to analyze and evaluate compliance and safety issues related to food production, food health and safety, and agricultural processing.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Substituting the Department of Health for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, as the appropriate lead department to develop a food production and processing safety action plan; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2112, to allow for further discussion of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 667, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair