CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 177

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 534

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 534, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the sale of processed food items with raw ahi products as an ingredient at Hawaii retail establishments without a label stating the country in which the ahi was landed.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Prohibiting the sale of raw processed ahi, rather than processed food items with raw ahi products as an ingredient, without a label stating the country in which the ahi was landed, and codifying the provisions under chapter 486, Hawaii Revised Statutes, rather than chapter 481B, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Inserting a definition for "raw processed ahi";

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2026; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 534, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 534, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ LYNN DECOITE Chair	____________________________ KIRSTIN KAHALOA Co-Chair
____________________________ HERBERT M. RICHARDS, III Co-Chair	____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair
	____________________________ MATTHIAS KUSCH Co-Chair