STAND. COM. REP. NO. 786

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1291

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1291, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the offense of false labeling of Hawaii-grown coffee to include roasted coffee; and

(2) Impose a mandatory $10,000 fine for each separate offense of false labeling of Hawaii-grown roasted coffee.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Heavenly Hawaiian Farms; Synergistic Hawaiʻi Agriculture Council; Hawaii Coffee Growers Association; Hawaii Coffee Association; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Smithfarms; Ohana Martin Farms; Kona Coffee Farmers Association; Hawaiʻi Farmers Union; Huahua Farm; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that fraudulent representations as to a coffee's geographic origin diminish the value of that geographic identifier by harming its reputation. Your Committee further finds that the existing criminal offense of false labeling of Hawaii-grown coffee only applies to green coffee, cherry coffee, or parchment coffee. This measure would expand that offense to roasted coffee and further protect the geographic identifier of Hawaii-grown coffee.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language establishing a mandatory fine for anyone convicted of false labeling of Hawaii-grown coffee; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of 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. 1291, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1291, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair