STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3074

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1806

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1806, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to discourage food waste and encourage food donation to needy recipients by:

(1) Clarifying and expanding liability protections for good-faith food donors;

(2) Allowing the donation of expired food when the donor makes a good-faith judgment that the food is unspoiled; and

(3) Requiring that education about food donation liability protections be made a part of the health inspection process so that food establishments are aware of these provisions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i, Aloha Harvest, Sierra Club of Hawaii, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that more than ten percent of Hawaii residents are food insecure and receive food assistance through nonprofit organizations and government programs. Your Committee also finds that approximately twenty-six percent of food grown in or imported to Hawaii is thrown away, a value of approximately $1,000,000,000 in annual food waste. Your Committee also finds that food production and food waste contribute directly to climate change, with food waste alone estimated to account for eight percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Your Committee also finds that a California survey found that forty-four percent of manufacturers, forty-one percent of restaurants, and twenty-five percent of retailers identified fear of liability as their primary barrier to donating surplus food. Accordingly, your Committee finds that this measure will expand and provide information about food donation liability protections and reduce barriers to food donation.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1806, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair