Bill Text: HI HB1515 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Bill 1515 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Hawaii-grown Coffee; Labeling

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-15 - Referred to AGR, CPC, referral sheet 1 [HB1515 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-HB1515-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1515
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to agriculture.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the marketers of coffee blends that include Hawaii-grown coffees rarely disclose the geographic origin of the non-Hawaii-grown coffee on the coffee package. The non-disclosure of the geographic origin of the vast majority (usually ninety per cent) of the coffee in such coffee blends confuses and misleads consumers.

Confusion is particularly likely when the brand name of any coffee blend contains the words "Hawaii" or "Hawaiian" or a Hawaii place name. Where there is no disclosure of the origin of the ninety per cent non-Hawaii-grown coffee in a package, consumers may believe that they are buying a package of coffee that is entirely Hawaii-grown when words like "Hawaiian" or "Kona" or "Maui" are used in large type as part of brand names at the top of coffee labels.

In Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 102, introduced during the Regular Session of 2007, the legislature found that "existing labeling requirements for Kona coffee causes consumer fraud and confusion and degrades the "Kona coffee" name." In all material respects, the statuary provisions giving rise to that finding of consumer deception and fraud remain in place.

The purpose of this Act is to conform state coffee labeling law to principles of consumer disclosure and fair marketing and to provide consumers with express label disclosure of the per cent of coffee not grown in Hawaii that is included in coffee blends that include Hawaii-grown coffees.

SECTION 2. Section 486-120.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) A listing of the geographic origins of the various Hawaii-grown coffees and the term "Foreign-Grown Coffee" or the regional origins of the various coffees not grown in Hawaii that are included in a blend [~~may~~] shall be shown on the label. [~~If used, this~~] This list shall consist of the term "Contains:", followed by, in descending order of per cent by weight and separated by commas[~~, the~~]:

(1) The respective geographic origin or regional origin of the various coffees in the blend [~~that the manufacturer chooses to list. Each geographic origin~~ ~~or regional origin may be~~] preceded by the per cent of coffee by weight represented by that geographic origin or regional origin[,]; or

(2) The geographic origins of the various Hawaii-grown coffees in the blend preceded by the per cent of coffee by weight and the term "Foreign-Grown Coffee" preceded by the aggregate per cent of coffee by weight of the coffee not grown in Hawaii.

All per cent amounts shall be expressed as a number followed by the per cent sign. The type size used for this list shall [~~not exceed half~~] be equal to that of the identity statement. This list shall appear below the identity statement[~~, if included~~] on the front panel of the label."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaii-grown Coffee; Labeling

Description:

Requires coffee labels to contain the term "Foreign-Grown Coffee" or a listing of the various origins of the coffees not grown in Hawaii. Requires that the listing be half the size of the identity statement.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.