STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1193

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 144

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 144 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COFFEE LABELING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support Hawaii's coffee growers by requiring more accurate labeling and designation of origin for blended coffee to protect the Hawaii coffee brand. Specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires disclosure on the label of coffee blends of the respective geographic or regional origins and percent by weight of the blended component coffees; and

(2) Makes it a violation of the coffee labeling law to use a geographic origin in labeling or advertising for a coffee blend that contains less than fifty-one percent coffee by weight from the specified geographic origin.

A Council Member of the Hawai‘i County Council, We Are One, Inc., Cassandra Farms, Smithfarms Kona Coffee, Lavarock Farm, Konalicious Organic Coffee, Konaloha Farms, Kuaiwi Farm, Hala Tree Coffee, Kanalani Ohana Farm, Origin Coffee Roasters, Lokoea Farms, Sugai Kona Coffee, Pohaku Farm, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Kona Coffee Farmers Association, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation – Kona County Chapter, Hawaii Farmers Union, Maui Farmers Union United, Hawai‘i Center for Food Safety, Hawaii SEED, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure. The Hawaii Food Industry Association, Hawaii Coffee Company, and Kona Coffee Council testified in opposition. The Department of Agriculture provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 144, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 144, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair