STAND. COM. REP. NO. 330

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 650

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 650 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEA SALT PRODUCTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to provide education and support to local businesses regarding the United States Food and Drug Administration's guidance on colored sea salt.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; H.K. Enterprise Group, Inc.; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the United States Food and Drug Administration's industry guidance on the use of color additives in sea salt products indicates that manufacturers who intend to use color additives that are not currently approved for food use should obtain approval through the color additive petition process. This measure appropriates funds to provide education and support to local businesses regarding the industry guidance on colored sea salt.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $300,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 650, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 650, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________

GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair