Bill Text: HI HB1787 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Agricultural Products; Honey; Exemption

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-15 - (H) Report adopted. referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Belatti, C. Lee, M. Lee, Tokioka excused (4). [HB1787 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-HB1787-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  423-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1787

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1787, 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 support Hawaii's honey industry and ensure the health and safety of consumers of honey by:

 

(1)  Exempting qualifying agricultural producers without access to municipal water supplies or infrastructure, from the requirements of processing their agricultural products in certified food-processing establishments and obtaining Department of Health permits; and

 

(2)  Modifying the exemption for home-based agricultural honey producers from the requirements of processing honey in a certified honey house or food processing establishment and obtaining a Department of Health permit by:

 

(A)  Changing the qualifying annual gallonage of honey sales from 50 gallons to an unspecified volume;

 

(B)  Allowing sales of honey to retail stores on the same island that sell the honey directly to customers; and

 

(C)  Requiring a label on honey containers, warning against the consumption of honey by infants under a year old.  

 

     The Hawaii Farmers Union United testified in support of the measure.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation testified in support of the intent of the measure.  The Department of Health opposed the measure.

 

     Your Committee encourages further discussion on the merits and feasibility of extending the exemption from processing agricultural projects in a certified food-processing establishment or obtaining a Department of Health permit, to all agricultural producers.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Narrowing the exemption for agricultural producers without access to municipal water to only agricultural producers of honey without such access to municipal water;

 

(2)  Increasing the qualifying annual gallonage of honey sales, from 50 gallons to 500 gallons, for home-based honey production; and

 

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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. 1787, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1787, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair