STAND. COM. REP. NO. 260

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 531

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 531 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WARNING SIGNS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require premises with liquor licenses to have a sign posted on or about the premises, including but not limited to the women's restroom, that provides customers with a warning of the risks of birth defects and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders for women drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, March of Dimes Foundation Hawaii Chapter, and Family Voices of Hawai‘i.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Bar Owners Association.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services.

     Your Committee finds that fetal alcohol syndrome disorder is the umbrella term used to describe a range of disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.  Your Committee further finds that alcohol exposure during pregnancy produces the most serious neurobehavioral effects in a fetus.  There is no known safe amount of alcohol or safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy.

     Your Committee additionally finds that fetal alcohol syndrome disorder is preventable.  Prevention starts with awareness that drinking alcohol during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of having a child with life-long disabilities.  Several studies have shown that alcohol warning signs raise awareness about the risk of drinking during pregnancy and may reduce alcohol consumption among light to moderate drinkers.

     Your Committee notes that because the amendments proposed by this measure relate to advertisements and signs upon licensed liquor establishments, they are outside of the Comptroller's jurisdiction.  Amendments to this measure are therefore needed to preserve the existing authority of the county liquor commissions over advertisements and signs in or about licensed premises.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing all references to the term "comptroller" with the term "liquor commission"; and

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 531, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 531, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair