STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3685

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 72

       H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 72, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO VIGOROUSLY ENFORCE LAWS REGARDING THE LABELING OF PREVIOUSLY FROZEN FISH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Health to vigorously enforce laws regarding the labeling of previously frozen fish.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     Your Committee finds that some retailers of frozen fish have mislabeled their previously frozen fish as fresh fish after treating the fish with carbon monoxide to preserve the color, but not the quality, of the fish.  Some consumers do not want to eat previously frozen fish, or any fish that has been treated with carbon monoxide, because they do not enjoy the taste of previously frozen fish or have concerns about possible negative health effects of consuming fish exposed to carbon monoxide.

     Your Committee further finds that mislabeling previously frozen fish as fresh fish misleads consumers and allows vendors of previously frozen fish to unfairly compete with vendors of genuine fresh fish.  Some vendors of mislabeled frozen fish may seek to exploit the Department of Health's discretion regarding enforcement and may repeatedly mislabel carbon monoxide-treated previously frozen fish as fresh fish because they believe they will face no serious consequences if they are caught.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 72, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair