STAND. COM. REP. NO. 860

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 667

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Health, with the cooperation of the Departments of Agriculture and Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, to develop a 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 comply with food safety requirements.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from Poamoho Organic Produce.

     Your Committees find that as food safety becomes an increasingly important issue, the Department of Agriculture can assist the agriculture industry by providing training, certification, support, and assistance on food safety and security issues.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 2, which:

     (1)  Establishes a Food Safety and Security Program within the Department of Agriculture;

     (2)  Makes an appropriation in an unspecified amount to the Department of Agriculture for the Food Safety and Security Program; and

     (3)  Requires the department of agriculture to adopt rules regarding the production, processing, and distribution of food products or agricultural commodities in order to meet state and federal food safety standards.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development and Technology,

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair