Bill Text: HI HB1932 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Fish Labeling; Fines; Special Fund

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-04 - (H) Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC/JUD with Representative(s) Finnegan voting no (1) and none excused (0). [HB1932 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB1932-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  112-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1932

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1932 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to protect consumers of fish purchased in local markets by providing penalties for those whose mislabeling of fish causes the consumer to become ill.

 

     The Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers, Local 996 supported this bill.  The Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Budget and Finance opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that instances have occurred when improper labeling of fish products have left consumers unaware that the type of fish being eaten may cause illness if eaten in certain quantities.  This bill does not intend to increase the workload on DOH food inspectors, but only seeks to provide DOH with additional powers to address the misbranding of fish products.  Currently, if an inspector receives a complaint, an investigation may be initiated.  This bill allows fines to be imposed on a person who is found to have placed incorrect information on a fish product.  This bill would also allow DOH to increase its revenues as the funds collected would be placed into a Food Misbranding Special Fund administered by DOH.
     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Requiring that confirmation of illness be made by a physician licensed under Chapter 453, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

(2)  Providing DOH with discretionary powers to determine whether a fine is warranted if a misbranding violation is confirmed;

 

(3)  Changing the fines for misbranding fish products to unspecified amounts; and

 

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1932, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1932, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

		____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair